| "I don't like spinach, and I'm glad I don't, because if I liked | | | | the subconscious knowledge of the wholesome |
| it I'd eat it, and I just hate it." Clarence Darrow said this | | | | goodness of the unsavory vegetable, definitely had an |
| (In response to what- I'm unsure of), but a large | | | | impact on the general psyche, adding to the cartoon's |
| majority of the food connoisseurs of the world would | | | | popularity. |
| agree in unison with Clarence- probably with emphatic | | | | Also, according to some other sources, the initial |
| head nodding and nose wrinkling too. I don't think I'd | | | | analysis by Wolf, was done on 1 kg powdered spinach, |
| blame them. Spinach is not exactly meant to be a | | | | but spinach being 90% water (yeah! There's something |
| gastronomic delight- but if one was to weigh its virtues | | | | you didn't know!) which portrayed spinach as having an |
| against its effect on the taste buds- then I must admit, | | | | iron content of around 3.5mg/ 100g- 10 times lesser (as |
| the pros far outweigh the cons. It is one hell of a great | | | | proven by the German scientists) than Wolf's figure. |
| input for the body's overall well being and its goodness | | | | However, even 3.5mg Fe/100 g of spinach is a big |
| reinforces the validity of the reasons for Popeye's | | | | quantity, but this quantity alone does not make spinach |
| immense success as the muscle popping cartoon | | | | as pronounced a power food as it is, since all the |
| action figure that he continues to be even today! | | | | oxalic acid it contains, interferes with Iron uptake. It is |
| The large triangular (or oval shaped) leaves of the | | | | the other minerals like Vitamins B1, 2, 3, 6, 7, E and K |
| plant, a Chenopoid species of the Amaranthaceae | | | | and other components such as Calcium, which make |
| family, is classified into three basic types aka | | | | spinach the proudly nutritious vegetable that it is |
| Savoy-with the dark green and crinkly leaves, the Flat | | | | accepted as today. |
| leaf spinach and the hybrid Semi Savoy variety with | | | | Spinach has been the cause of some misadventures |
| slightly crinkly leaves. | | | | such as the 2006 E.coli outbreak in the USA due to |
| Spinach is stocked up well on the much coveted | | | | infected spinach packets in grocery stores (caused 5 |
| Vitamin A- an essential nutrient most well known as | | | | deaths) and the 2007 USA Salmonella outbreak also |
| the driving force behind strong eyesight. The | | | | attributed to around 8,000 cartons of spinach. |
| Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of Vitamin A for a | | | | However, on the whole, it has been a fairly benevolent |
| healthy female aged 19-70 years of age ranges | | | | and largely nutritious vegetable, which is highly |
| between 770-3,000 mg, while the RDI for men in the | | | | recommended as a part of the daily diet. |
| same age group is 700-3,000mg.According to Nutrition | | | | Going over the value of the nutrients available in |
| Data, 1 cup of raw spinach, equivalent to 30g of the | | | | spinach, Vitamin A, which is also found in cantaloupe |
| leaves in weight, accounts for a whopping 56% of | | | | melons, kale, and papaya, is important for the |
| Vitamin A, followed by 14% Vitamin C, while it boasts | | | | maintenance of good vision as well as in other external |
| an absolute absence of trans fat, saturated fat and | | | | physical attributes such as skin health, bone |
| cholesterol. Weight loss aficionados-there's a cue good | | | | metabolism and in anti-oxidant activity. Other than that, |
| enough for you to start stocking up on the not so | | | | it also plays a part on the molecular and cellular level, in |
| savoury, but highly nutritious leafy vegetable. | | | | gene transcription, immune function, Haematopoiesis |
| Apart from the Vitamins, the same serving of raw | | | | and embryonic development. |
| spinach would contain around 5% iron- a very rich | | | | Vitamin C also acts as a strong antioxidant, lessens |
| source of the mineral like most other leafy vegetables | | | | oxidative stress, and on the molecular level acts as as |
| and extremely useful for non-vegetarians who do not | | | | substrate for an enzyme called Ascorbate |
| have access to Iron in the traditional meats and | | | | Peroxidase. It also acts as an enzyme cofactor- |
| minces. In fact according to the US agriculture | | | | essential for important for essential biochemical |
| department, a 180g serving of boiled spinach contains | | | | reactions and the synthesis of collagen which suffers |
| nearly 6.5 mg Iron, while a 170g ground hamburger | | | | during a Vitamin C deficiency, causes the much hyped |
| patty would contain only 4.5mg- a mere trifle. This | | | | deficiency disease called Scurvy. |
| does definitely promote vegetarianism to an extent if | | | | Vitamins of the B Group, are responsible for the |
| one thinks about it carefully. | | | | smooth functioning of metabolic activities, healthy skin |
| Popeye owes his famous muscles and strong public | | | | and muscle tone, enhancement of the immune and |
| persona to the iron content in the humble tins of | | | | nervous system as well as promotion of cell growth |
| spinach that seem to magically appear out of nowhere | | | | and functioning. All B Vitamins have been known to |
| wherever he goes. Although it is a relatively little | | | | reduce the chances of being diagnosed with |
| known fact that the corncob smoking, pipe-tooting | | | | pancreatic cancer- but only when ingested in the raw |
| sailor with the anchor tattoos and characteristic | | | | form and not as a tablet. |
| receding hairline was conceived of a sheer | | | | The main purpose of Vitamin K in human nutrition is its |
| miscalculation. In 1870, Dr E Von Wolf published a study | | | | role in blood coagulation via Prothrombin. Vitamin K has |
| which claimed (mistakenly I presume), that spinach | | | | also been lauded for its potential role in bone health |
| contained 10 times the iron content when compared to | | | | and has been studied in relation to treating Alzheimer's |
| other leafy veggies. Next on the time line, the spinach | | | | disease and cancer. |
| toting baggily appareled sea farer appeared in the first | | | | Nutritional calcium is a critical element for many bodily |
| daily comic strip Thimble Theatre, after which he | | | | functions, such as bone growth and maintenance, |
| gained his own little strip in 1939. It was not until 1939, | | | | muscle and nerve control, blood clotting, and blood |
| when some German scientists conducted further | | | | pressure regulation. Meanwhile, α-Tocopherol |
| study on the apparent "wonder plant" and came to the | | | | present in Vitamin E, helps protect cell membranes |
| conclusion that it contains only 1/10th the amount of iron | | | | from rapid oxidation processes. |
| that Wolfe claimed earlier. After that such wide | | | | So all in all, it is pretty evident that spinach is one of the |
| publication and circulation of Popeye strips came to a | | | | POWER FOODS that play a quintessential role in |
| crashing halt. However, despite the nutritional | | | | good health. It also goes to show that Popeye was no |
| discrepancy, Popeye continues to be one of the | | | | mean sailor with a taste for random greens, but he |
| world's most favorite animated sailors and he | | | | KNEW about the overall inherent nutritional boost |
| continues to regale his fans with his funny-muscle | | | | available in a neat little tin of spinach. So if you've |
| antics and fresh methods of saving his eternally | | | | outgrown Popeye comics, then just be mature about it |
| distressed damsel-his "Goyle". | | | | and incorporate spinach into your regular diet. And if |
| Although the cartoon character's loyal fan following did | | | | you're a child (in years or at heart) and enjoy reading |
| have a role to play in the strips unusual timelessness, | | | | of Popeye's various exploits, go a step further and |
| the readers' acknowledgment of the foodstuff which | | | | listen to what your mum always has to say - Eat your |
| was the only tangible "reality" in Popeye's world and | | | | Spinach! |