Has anyone else ever noticed that the canned spinach Popeye ate looked fresh, but the canned stuff we get looks like pureed baby poo? It probably tastes like it too, but I’m not trying either one to find out.

But that doesn’t mean to pass up spinach all together. Heck no! Actually, most (not all) canned goods aren’t exactly on your healthy list, even if they started out healthy. But that’s neither here nor there. Actually, it is there, just not here.

What was I saying? Oh yes, the good points of spinach.

The fresh stuff, and probably the well frozen as well, has 13 different flavonoids. That’s good, because flavonoids are anti-oxidants, and anti-oxidants are anti cancer. And now that I’m doing all this research into produce and such, I’m starting to see why so may people have cured their cancer by switching to a raw or mostly raw diet. Especially when you find out that spinach, like pumpkin and many other plants, is also high in carotenoids which fight prostate cancer specifically, and spinach along with a few other plants provides kaempferol, which fights ovarian cancer.

Spinach is also packed with vitamins K, C, A, and E which assist in bone strength, preventing cholesterol build up (C & A), and brain function, respectively. And yet again, spinach is high in lutein, as are egg yolks, pumpkins, and avocados, and can help prevent macular degeneration.

Cooked spinach is an excellent source of iron- which is particularly beneficial for menstruating or pregnant women, and the folate in spinach is also essential for women who are pregnant.

Aside from the potential of allergies, the biggest concern with eating spinach is that it can have a negative effect on the thyroid. Most people don’t have a thyroid condition, and if you do and are being treated, you should be fine. However, monitor yourself after adding more spinach to your diet. If you find that you’re becoming more sluggish, gaining weight, or becoming depressed, switch to another food that contains the vitamins or minerals you need the most and contact your doctor about your symptoms.

There’s a lot of controversy (in my mind) over whether spinach should be cooked or raw. In favor of raw- I think it tastes better. I love a good, fresh spinach leaf with a bit of salt on it. And cooking destroys the enzymes and a lot of the vitamins. On the other hand, in favor of cooked, you can get a lot more spinach into your body by cooking it, and the heat destroys the germs and bacteria that can make you sick.

Then again, organic farms are held to higher standards, so most of the dangers of raw spinach are negated when you buy organic spinach. Either way, if you don’t have a medical condition that spinach has a bad effect on, you’re definitely better off eating it.

And besides, it’s so much better on a sandwich than lettuce.