Spinach
The World's Most Popular Superfood
Spinach
The World's Most Popular Superfood
The World's Most Popular Superfood
Spinach is an ancient crop believed to have been first cultivated in Persia (modern day Iran) around 2,000 years ago. As a cold weather vegetable, spinach can survive repeated frosts without damage, although preferring partial shade and temperatures consistently below 75°F. From the time the seeds are planted it takes only 40 days for the crop to be ready for harvest. Because of its ability to grow in cold weather, it quickly grew in popularity in western Europe by the 1400s.
Spinach has long been considered to be a “superfood” due to its excess nutrient content. It contains high amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and many other compounds. Spinach also contains a great amount of manganese, folate, magnesium, and iron and is loved by many consumers.
A popular cartoon character in the time of liberty gardens, Popeye the Sailor Man was known for cracking open a can of spinach to maintain his strength and abnormally large muscular arms. Popeye is said to be responsible for more than a 30% increase in the consumption of spinach during the 1930s!
Spinach's versatility as an ingredient makes it a great addition to every kind of cuisine - from traditional seasoning blends and salad dressings, all the way to pet food products and more. It can be used in sauces, soups and stews, pasta dishes, rice combinations or even snacks like chips – not to mention ready meals or dairy items like cheese and sausages.
Crops are plentiful! It's a great start to the season with higher than usual precipitation levels, setting up perfect conditions for new crops. This year's spinach yield is an impressive one, due to both a marked increase in the amount of planting that took place and ideal weather conditions.
With the current state of spinach supply, now is an opportune moment to plan ahead for restocking. Market demand has had a direct effect on cost; however, our harvesting outlook looks promising this year and suggests that taking advantage of these resources when they become available at season's end in early December could lead to more favorable prices down the line.
