Spinach

Spinach is a leafy green vegetable with soft, flat leaves. It grows close to the ground and is picked when the leaves are young. Spinach has been a popular food for hundreds of years. Many people remember it as the food that made the cartoon character Popeye super strong.

Growing Spinach

Spinach first grew in an old country called Persia, which is now Iran. It likes cool weather and grows fast. Farmers can pick spinach just six weeks after planting the seeds. Today, it is grown all over the world. The United States is one of the biggest spinach growers.

Eating Spinach

You can eat spinach raw in salads or cooked in many dishes. It is used in soups, pasta, and even smoothies. Cooked spinach shrinks a lot, so a big bowl turns into a small pile. It tastes a little sweet and a little earthy. Many people add it to pizza and sandwiches.

Fun Facts

• Spinach is about 91 percent water.
• Popeye the Sailor made spinach famous starting in 1929.
• March 26 is National Spinach Day in the United States.

Did You Know?

Spinach grows so fast that you can plant it, pick it, and eat it all in the same season. Some farmers grow three crops of spinach each year.