The nutrition and health benefits of spinach. Not just for Popeye!
Historical Facts about Spinach.
Spinach was originally grown in Iran. It was introduced to China in the 7th century and to Europe around the 12th century.
The word ‘spinach’ is derived from ‘ispanai’ meaning green hand. In Latin, it became ‘spanachia’, which evolved into the present word.
Medieval artists extracted green pigment from spinach to use as an ink or paint.
‘Florentine’ is a common part of names of recipes where spinach is the significant ingredient. This is because a 16th century Queen of France, Catherine de’ Medici, a lover of spinach, was a native of Florence.
During World War I, wine was reinforced with spinach juice and given to haemorrhaging French soldiers, in the belief that the high levels of vitamin K that it contains would thicken their blood…
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