Article By: Johnny Fontana

I remember watching “Popeye the Sailor” at my grandfather’s house when I was a little kid.  Even though I was born decades after the show originally launched, I still grew up watching the show.

I think we all know that Popeye is famous for slamming down a can of spinach in order to win his girl Olive back, but did you ever think of the cultural impact this image made?  In a day and age where cartoon characters are more likely to be seen chomping down a fast-food hamburger or drinking a soda, we have lost track of the importance of someone like Popeye. As Popeye began to fade off the television screen, whole foods began to fade off of our nation’s dinner plates. It is funny (actually it’s kind of depressing) that this sailor who lived in a garbage can may have literally been holding one of the keys to health. Popeye may have depended on spinach to provide him with super strength, but it also boasts a whole host of other health benefits as well.

Why So Good?

Power Packed

Last month the first spinach season of the year began, marking a time when it is most widely abundant and tastiest. Words like antioxidants and phytonutrients are tossed around quite often these days by people who hope to sound like they know something about nutrition. But when talking about spinach, it is hard to avoid using those terms — spinach boasts at least 13 different flavonoids, packed with antioxidant and anticancer benefits.

Cancer Fighting

The anticancer benefits of spinach have gotten a ton of attention by researchers. Neoxanthin is a carotenoid that has been linked to fighting prostate cancer. Neoxanthin has shown to prevent cancer cells from reproducing and in some cases even cause cancer cells to self-destuct. Spinach is also very rich in kaempferol, which has been linked to preventing ovarian cancer.

Get Your Vitamins

Of all the vitamins we talk about, vitamin K may get the least amount of recognition. The fact that vitamin K helps build and maintain strong bones should not ignored. One cup of spinach holds about 180% the daily recommended amount of vitamin K.

What Else?

The lutein in spinach is fantastic for eye sight, iron (35% DV) is fantastic for women and vitamin E is very beneficial to the brain. You will also find some Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, folate and manganese in spinach. And at only 7 calories per serving, spinach is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.

How To Eat?

Go O

Some may be resistant to try spinach after the E. coli scare that happened a few years ago.  People should not worry, however, because that e. coli outbreak was most likely the result of animal waste.  Purchase organic spinach to be safe, as those who grow spinach by conventional means do not do a great job of protecting their crop. You should still wash the leaves even if you buy it bagged, like you would with salads.

Cook It Up

Other than that, you can boil, sauté or eat spinach raw. It proves as a great side to an entree or can be the base for a dinner salad. I personally love a spinach salad with some strawberries. I doubt the creators of Popeye really understood what they were doing by putting a can of spinach in his hands, but they couldn’t have picked a better of a food.

Otherwise, use real butter and ghee just as you’d use the butter you find in most grocery stores.

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