Culinary

Fresh spinach is sold loose, bunched, or packaged fresh in bags.

Fresh spinach loses much of its nutritional value with storage of more than a few days.

 Fresh spinach is packaged in air or in nitrogen gas to extend shelf life.

While refrigeration slows this effect to about eight days, fresh spinach loses most of its folate and carotenoid content over this period. For more extended storage, it is canned or blanched or cooked and frozen.

Some packaged spinach is exposed to radiation to kill any harmful bacteria.

Cooked spinach has a spicy, earthy flavour and can have a mushy texture; raw spinach is milder and crisp.

Raw spinach is 91% water, 4% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and little fat.

Spinach has a high nutritional value, especially when fresh, frozen, steamed, or quickly boiled. It is a rich source (20% or more of the daily value, DV) of vitamins A, C and K, magnesium, manganese and folate.

Spinach was known as “the Spanish vegetable” in England. In the 16th century, spinach became the favourite vegetable of Catherine de Medici of the famous Medici family of the Italian Renaissance. When she left her home in Florence, Italy, to marry King Henry II of France, she brought along her cooks who could prepare spinach in the many different ways that she liked. Since this time, dishes prepared on a bed of spinach are referred to as à la Florentine.