8 Reasons to Buy a Pound of Spinach
At Blendtec headquarters, we talk a lot about using spinach in smoothies. Spinach is also one of the most-mentioned ingredients on our Facebook page. For those of you who are wondering why everyone is talking about spinach, here are 8 reasons to buy a pound of spinach.
1. Spinach is cheap.
If you buy a large, 5-pound pack of spinach at your local Costco or Sam's Club, it will only cost about $1 per pound.
2. Spinach freezes well.
Fresh spinach is best, but there might be times when you can't get through the 100-pound bag (okay, it's only 5 pounds) you just bought at Costco. If this happens to you, freeze individual portions of spinach in snack-size zip-top bags. The next time you need spinach for a smoothie, go to the freezer and pull out a bag of frozen spinach. Unless the spinach stays in the freezer for a long time, you won't taste a difference in your smoothies. On a side note, don't use frozen spinach in salads (trust me, it won't turn out well).
3. Spinach is awesome for smoothies.
Green smoothies are becoming incredibly popular. They are a great way to increase the number of fruits and vegetables you consume in a day. Check out the Green Smoothies section of our blender Recipes page. Every week, we send a recipe to our subscribers. (If you're not a subscriber yet, click here). Recently we posted an incredibly popular recipe called The Garden Green Giant Juice—check it out!
Blendtec's Garden Green Giant Juice
4. Popeye was right—spinach gives you energy.
Spinach is high in iron, which is an essential part of the hemoglobin in your blood. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to the rest of your body, and having more oxygen in your organs and muscles can result in more energy. (Source: CDC.gov)
5. Spinach is easy to grow.
Most places in the United States are great for growing spinach. Here's a quick-growing guide:
Warm climates: Plant seeds in the shade of tall crops (e.g., corn or beans), or shade the plants with a cloth. Spinach needs sufficient shade to germinate. Harvest during the wintertime.
Moderate climates: Plant seeds in February or March for a spring harvest. Plant seeds every 10 days so that you'll have a consistent crop of fresh spinach for a few months.
Cold climates: Plant seeds in October, and protect the germinated seeds with a cold frame, which will allow you to have an early spring harvest. Once the ground thaws, plant additional seeds every 10 days for a consistent crop of spinach until May.
6. Spinach is packed with nutrients for your skin.
Spinach is packed with vitamin K, which assists in bone and skin health. In fact, vitamin K is used in many skin care products that claim to reduce stretch marks and wrinkles. Why not reap the benefits of this essential vitamin from the inside out? (Source: Smart Publications)
7. Eating spinach can help you achieve a healthy weight.
Spinach is high in dietary fiber. Aside from normalizing bowel movements, high-fiber foods generally require more chewing, which gives your body more time to signal that you're full before you've overeaten. (Source: Mayo Clinic)
8. Spinach boosts your immune system.
Spinach is packed with vitamin A, which plays a role in the development of lymphocytes. Your immune system uses lymphocytes to fight off bacteria and diseases. (Source: LiveStrong)
What is your favorite reason to eat spinach?
If you buy a large, 5-pound pack of spinach at your local Costco or Sam's Club, it will only cost about $1 per pound.
2. Spinach freezes well.
Fresh spinach is best, but there might be times when you can't get through the 100-pound bag (okay, it's only 5 pounds) you just bought at Costco. If this happens to you, freeze individual portions of spinach in snack-size zip-top bags. The next time you need spinach for a smoothie, go to the freezer and pull out a bag of frozen spinach. Unless the spinach stays in the freezer for a long time, you won't taste a difference in your smoothies. On a side note, don't use frozen spinach in salads (trust me, it won't turn out well).
3. Spinach is awesome for smoothies.
Green smoothies are becoming incredibly popular. They are a great way to increase the number of fruits and vegetables you consume in a day. Check out the Green Smoothies section of our blender Recipes page. Every week, we send a recipe to our subscribers. (If you're not a subscriber yet, click here). Recently we posted an incredibly popular recipe called The Garden Green Giant Juice—check it out!
Blendtec's Garden Green Giant Juice
4. Popeye was right—spinach gives you energy.
Spinach is high in iron, which is an essential part of the hemoglobin in your blood. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to the rest of your body, and having more oxygen in your organs and muscles can result in more energy. (Source: CDC.gov)
5. Spinach is easy to grow.
Most places in the United States are great for growing spinach. Here's a quick-growing guide:
Warm climates: Plant seeds in the shade of tall crops (e.g., corn or beans), or shade the plants with a cloth. Spinach needs sufficient shade to germinate. Harvest during the wintertime.
Moderate climates: Plant seeds in February or March for a spring harvest. Plant seeds every 10 days so that you'll have a consistent crop of fresh spinach for a few months.
Cold climates: Plant seeds in October, and protect the germinated seeds with a cold frame, which will allow you to have an early spring harvest. Once the ground thaws, plant additional seeds every 10 days for a consistent crop of spinach until May.
6. Spinach is packed with nutrients for your skin.
Spinach is packed with vitamin K, which assists in bone and skin health. In fact, vitamin K is used in many skin care products that claim to reduce stretch marks and wrinkles. Why not reap the benefits of this essential vitamin from the inside out? (Source: Smart Publications)
7. Eating spinach can help you achieve a healthy weight.
Spinach is high in dietary fiber. Aside from normalizing bowel movements, high-fiber foods generally require more chewing, which gives your body more time to signal that you're full before you've overeaten. (Source: Mayo Clinic)
8. Spinach boosts your immune system.
Spinach is packed with vitamin A, which plays a role in the development of lymphocytes. Your immune system uses lymphocytes to fight off bacteria and diseases. (Source: LiveStrong)
What is your favorite reason to eat spinach?
amazing article, i like it. thanks for sharing.
I have also heard that kale has more nutrients than spinach. Kale tends to have a more powerful flavor than spinach, so more people use spinach for smoothies. If the flavor of kale doesn’t bother you, it makes a nice nutrient rich smoothie.
I had heard that it was better to use KALE in smoothies so I gave up spinach and started using Kale. What are your thoughts?
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