Spinach
Introduction
Varieties
Grown in sandy/mineral soil - Long Standing Bloomsdale, Tyee, Cold Resistant Savoy, Olympia and Melody; in muck soil - Wobli, Tarantella, Mazurka, Norveto, Estivato, Symphony and Melody.
Some are smooth leaf types (e.g. Olympia), medium leafed (e.g. Melody) and frilly "Savoy" leafed spinach (e.g. Long Standing Bloomsdale).
Nutrition
An excellent source of both Vitamin A and folacin, and a source of both fibre, potassium and Vitamin C.
History
Spinach originally came from Persia (now Iran) where it was known as "aspanakh".
By the 1300s, it had spread to Europe and Britain where it was popular in religious communities, particularly during Lent.
It was being cultivated in North America by the early part of the 19th century. In recent times, it has been popularized by the cartoon character "Popeye", who attributes his amazing strength to a daily diet of the green leafy vegetable.
