During the 19th century, spinach rose in popularity in this country. By the 20th century it became even more popular when the comic strip Popeye the Sailor Man made its debut in January 1929. He was the character who ate spinach by the can for strength to fight on behalf of his lady love Olive Oyl, saying “I am strong to the finish ‘cuz I eats me spinach.” Spinach jumped to number three on the vegetable popularity list.
Spinach is full of goodness. According to healthline.com, it is very low in calories, and either raw or cooked is an excellent source of vitamins A and K, folate, and magnesium.
Its history goes back thousands of years to ancient Persia where it was cultivated. It reached this country with the early colonists, having previously jumped to India in the seventh century, then to China, where it was known as the Persian vegetable. It became popular in the Mediterranean where it was considered a Lenten food.
In the 16th century the queen of France helped popularize spinach, e...