Spinach has its origin in Asia and by the 14th century it had spread along the trade routes into Europe . It arrived in America in the early 19th century.
Spinach is a leafy vegetable with oval leaves. It is excellent as a salad herb and it makes a delightful variation in the flavor of fresh vegetable juices. Cooking destroys some of the nutritional value of spinach, and cooking also makes some of the nutrients more available, so you may alternate between cooked and fresh spinach.
Spinach is rich in beta-carotene and other carotenoids. The protein in spinach is incomplete and may be supplemented by the inclusion of rice or other grains.
Select spinach with small stems, indication that it is young, sweet and tender.
When preparing spinach, the first step is to thoroughly wash the leaves to remove any grit.
(R.D.)
Spinach, raw, 1 cup
| Nutrient | Units | 1.00 X 1 cup ——- 30g |
|---|---|---|
| Proximates | ||
| Water |
g
|
27.42
|
| Energy |
kcal
|
7
|
| Energy |
kj
|
29
|
| Protein |
g
|
0.86
|
| Total lipid (fat) |
g
|
0.12
|
| Ash |
g
|
0.52
|
| Carbohydrate, by difference |
g
|
1.09
|
| Fiber, total dietary |
g
|
0.7
|
| Sugars, total |
g
|
0.13
|
| Sucrose |
g
|
0.02
|
| Glucose (dextrose) |
g
|
0.03
|
| Fructose |
g
|
0.04
|
| Lactose |
g
|
0.00
|
| Maltose |
g
|
0.00
|
| Galactose |
g
|
0.03
|
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium, Ca |
mg
|
30
|
| Iron, Fe |
mg
|
0.81
|
| Magnesium, Mg |
mg
|
24
|
| Phosphorus, P |
mg
|
15
|
| Potassium, K |
mg
|
167
|
| Sodium, Na |
mg
|
24
|
| Zinc, Zn |
mg
|
0.16
|
| Copper, Cu |
mg
|
0.039
|
| Manganese, Mn |
mg
|
0.269
|
| Selenium, Se |
mcg
|
0.3
|
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid |
mg
|
8.4
|
| Thiamin |
mg
|
0.023
|
| Riboflavin |
mg
|
0.057
|
| Niacin |
mg
|
0.217
|
| Pantothenic acid |
mg
|
0.020
|
| Vitamin B-6 |
mg
|
0.059
|
| Folate, total |
mcg
|
58
|
| Folic acid |
mcg
|
0
|
| Folate, food |
mcg
|
58
|
| Folate, DFE |
mcg_DFE
|
58
|
| Vitamin B-12 |
mcg
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin B-12, added |
mcg
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin A, IU |
IU
|
2813
|
| Vitamin A, RAE |
mcg_RAE
|
141
|
| Retinol |
mcg
|
0
|
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) |
mg
|
0.61
|
| Vitamin E, added |
mg
|
0.00
|
| Tocopherol, beta |
mg
|
0.00
|
| Tocopherol, gamma |
mg
|
0.05
|
| Tocopherol, delta |
mg
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) |
mcg
|
144.9
|
| Lipids | ||
| Fatty acids, total saturated |
g
|
0.019
|
| 4:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 6:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 8:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 10:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 12:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 14:0 |
g
|
0.003
|
| 16:0 |
g
|
0.015
|
| 18:0 |
g
|
0.001
|
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated |
g
|
0.003
|
| 16:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.002
|
| 18:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.002
|
| 20:1 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 22:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated |
g
|
0.050
|
| 18:2 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.008
|
| 18:3 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.041
|
| 18:4 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 20:4 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
| 20:5 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 22:5 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
| 22:6 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
| Cholesterol |
mg
|
0
|
| Phytosterols |
mg
|
3
|
| Amino acids | ||
| Tryptophan |
g
|
0.012
|
| Threonine |
g
|
0.037
|
| Isoleucine |
g
|
0.044
|
| Leucine |
g
|
0.067
|
| Lysine |
g
|
0.052
|
| Methionine |
g
|
0.016
|
| Cystine |
g
|
0.011
|
| Phenylalanine |
g
|
0.039
|
| Tyrosine |
g
|
0.032
|
| Valine |
g
|
0.048
|
| Arginine |
g
|
0.049
|
| Histidine |
g
|
0.019
|
| Alanine |
g
|
0.043
|
| Aspartic acid |
g
|
0.072
|
| Glutamic acid |
g
|
0.103
|
| Glycine |
g
|
0.040
|
| Proline |
g
|
0.034
|
| Serine |
g
|
0.031
|
| Other | ||
| Alcohol, ethyl |
g
|
0.0
|
| Caffeine |
mg
|
0
|
| Theobromine |
mg
|
0
|
| Carotene, beta |
mcg
|
1688
|
| Carotene, alpha |
mcg
|
0
|
| Cryptoxanthin, beta |
mcg
|
0
|
| Lycopene |
mcg
|
0
|
| Lutein + zeaxanthin |
mcg
|
3659
|
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005)
