Spinach

vegetables · nutrition · plants

Born in Asia. Spinach originally grew wild in Central and Western Asia before people started growing it everywhere. Now it's one of the most popular vegetables in the world.

Raw or cooked?. Spinach tastes really different depending on how you prepare it. Raw spinach has a fresh, slightly peppery flavor, while cooked spinach becomes softer and more mild.

Oxalate surprise. Spinach contains something called oxalate that can affect how your body absorbs certain minerals. Cooking spinach by blanching it can actually reduce the oxalate content.

Leafy green power. The leaves of spinach are the part we eat, and you can enjoy them fresh in salads, cooked in hot dishes, or even stored and used later.

Flowering plant. Spinach is actually a flowering plant, which means it grows flowers and produces seeds just like many other plants in nature.