Spinach
Most of us remember the pleas from our parents and grandparents to “eat your spinach so you’ll grow big and tall.” They weren’t far off. Spinach is one of the world’s healthiest vegetables: It’s packed with vitamins, minerals (especially iron and calcium), carotenoids (beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin), fibre, and a host of other phytonutrients. Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia and later been introduced to India and China. It probably made it to Europe sometime in the Middle Ages. By the 16th century, it reached the taste buds of Catherine de Medici, who left her home in Florence to marry the king of France. She supposedly was so addicted to spinach that she brought along her own cooks to prepare it. Ever since, anything prepared on a bed of spinach is referred to as “à la Florentine.”
Health Benefits
Good food is medicine, and spinach is the perfect example. Studies suggest this leafy green vegetable has anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Spinach may also reduce your chance of cataracts and loss of eyesight as you age.
Popeye maintained his strength eating spinach (and spitting out the can), but what the cartoon didn’t show you was that he was also protecting himself against inflammation, oxidative stress-related problems, heart disease, bone problems, and cancers at the same time!
DIFFICULTY
Easy
HARDINESS
Annual
TIME TO PLANT
Early spring and late summer (use succession planting)
TIME TO HARVEST
Spring, early summer, fall
LOCATION
Full to part sun
SOIL TYPE
Rich, moist, well-drained
Growing
Spinach is a sure sign of spring! Fast to germinate from seed, it’s one of the first crops ready for harvest in the vegetable garden. The only difficulty is that spinach doesn’t enjoy extreme heat: It’s a crop that loves short days and cool temperatures. But plan your planting carefully and you’ll be able to enjoy spinach for much of the growing season.
Common Varieties: Spinach varieties fall into three categories: smooth leaf, savoy (which have crinkly leaves), and semi-savoy. My favourites include ‘Giant Nobel’ and ‘Olympia’ (both smooth-leaf varieties), ‘Bloomsdale’ (a savoy), and ‘Melody’ (a semi-savoy).
PLANT
Spinach should only be grown from seed. For the best selection, purchase the seeds in late winter. Sow them as soon as the soil is workable in early spring: Use 12 to 15 seeds per 30 cm (1 foot) of row, and plant rows 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 feet) apart. Lightly cover with soil. When the plants are 3 to 5 cm (1¼ to 2 inches) tall, thin them so the remaining plants are 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) apart. (If you don’t thin them, don’t worry. You’ll still be okay!) Make sure the plants get plenty of sun and rich, moist soil. Add some composted manure if necessary.
Bloomsdale is an easy-to-find spinach variety—and one of my favourites.
Spinach is a fast grower: From sowing to harvest takes only about 40 days. To get multiple harvests, plan on succession planting (planting small batches at 14-day intervals). Since spinach hates the heat, it’s best to halt sowing in late spring and then start again in late summer for a fantastic fall harvest.
For small spaces, spinach can be grown in containers when temperatures are cool in early spring and early fall.
Heat accelerates the life cycle of spinach, causing it to bolt. That’s another way of saying it will go to seed. You can’t prevent this from happening, but if you live in warmer climates you can purchase hybrid spinach varieties that are slow to bolt, such as ‘Olympia’. These varieties are also good if you want to try for a summer harvest.
GROW
Spinach likes cool nights, warm days, and adequate rain, so it’s easy to grow in spring. The difficulty begins when evening temperatures go on the rise and rain is minimal. During dry periods, water spinach deeply in the morning.
Spinach enjoys rich soil, so if plants appear light green and are growing slowly, you need to fertilize with compost tea, fish emulsion, or general-purpose garden fertilizer (10-10-10).
Fungal diseases and blight are common with some varieties of spinach, especially during lengthy periods of wet or humid weather. Look for spinach varieties resistant to mould, and make sure the soil is well drained.
Spinach is loved by furry friends like groundhogs, rabbits, and mice. You can discourage them with a plastic owl, cayenne pepper, or dog hair. The key is to figure out what the animal doesn’t like to see, smell, hear, touch, or taste. In extreme cases, you may need a fence. If the problem is rabbits, the fence needs to be buried at least 40 cm (16 inches) deep—rabbits dig!
Spinach rarely needs to be weeded. In fact, because of its shallow roots, any heavy cultivation should be avoided.
HARVEST
Timing is key when harvesting spinach: If you wait too long, the plant will bolt or the leaves will have a bitter taste. Harvest spinach as soon as its rosettes have 5 or 6 leaves. (Spinach harvested before this is known as baby spinach, and it has a sweeter flavour.)
You have two options: For a continual harvest, use a pair of scissors to cut the outer, older leaves first, allowing inner leaves to mature. For a full harvest, cut the whole plant off at the base. Often this will stimulate more growth and lead to another harvest in the future.
The best time for harvesting spinach is mid-morning or late afternoon.
STORE
Spinach will keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Loosely bundle stems together, wrap with a paper towel, and place in a resealable bag. Handle it gently and do not store anything on top of it—spinach bruises easily.
To freeze spinach, steam or sauté it first, then chop it and store in airtight containers in the freezer.
Put It to Work
Want to lock in the goodness? Boil it!
It turns out Popeye’s habit of eating cooked spinach was actually healthier than eating it raw. There’s nothing wrong with a baby spinach salad, but steaming or boiling spinach is even better. This vegetable contains a high concentration of oxalic acid, which can leach minerals from your body. Even “flash-boiling” will help remove the oxalic acid while minimizing nutrient loss and preserving the flavour.
By quickly boiling spinach in large amounts of water (the same way you would pasta) you may reduce the oxalic acid by as much as 50%. Just bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, add the spinach, and boil for 1 minute. Do not cover the pot (you’ll release more of the acids with the rising steam). Drain and enjoy.
Weak bones? Spinach sauté!
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, and calcium, all of which are extremely good for bone health. It is also an excellent vegetarian source of muscle-building protein, energy-producing phosphorus, and vitamin B1. Here’s a simple way to go green.
2 large bunches spinach
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt
In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until lightly browned. Add the spinach and stir to coat well. Cover the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Uncover and turn the spinach. Cover and cook for an additional minute. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.
Low energy? Spinach smoothie!
Spinach packs a heart-healthy punch of potassium, folate, and other B vitamins. And it doesn’t stop there: It has a ton of energy-producing iron and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as beta carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
Dark green veggies are the most important item in your diet, and they provide you with energy to boot. But it can be a challenge to get Health Canada’s recommended 4 servings every day. A smoothie is the perfect way to get a few servings into you. This isn’t too different from a regular berry smoothie, so don’t worry about the taste. Here’s a tip: If you want to flash-boil your spinach for this smoothie, do a large amount ahead of time and then freeze it in BPA-free ice-cube trays.
1 cup spinach (fresh or flash-boiled)
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
½ cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
½ cup blackberries (fresh or frozen)
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp plain low-fat yogurt
A simple baby spinach salad with blueberries and walnuts is another quick and easy way to add more healthy leafy greens to your diet.
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender, add ice if desired, and blend on high speed until smooth. Makes 2 servings.
Aging too quickly? Antioxify!
“Antioxify” isn’t a real word, of course, but it may as well be! There are countless creams, sunblocks, and makeup products claiming to rustproof and protect your skin from aging. But antioxidants work best from the inside out. That means eating spinach will do a lot more to prevent wrinkles than any cream you might put on your face. Spinach and many of its green allies will add years to your life! Enjoy this simple spinach soup.
3 cups vegetable broth
5 cups spinach
1 cup broccoli
1 cup green peas
1 sweet onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp minced gingerroot
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
½ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
In a high-speed blender or food processor, purée all of the ingredients. Pour into a saucepan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Serve hot.
Fast Forward
Fast forward to the health food store to purchase Jarrow CarotenALL capsules or equivalent. Follow the instructions on the label.
Cautions
Spinach is much loved by pests, so commercially grown crops may get a heavy spray of pesticide in the field. You will minimize health risks by avoiding store-bought spinach (or buying organic) and growing your own.