Spinach (Spinacia Oleracea) is a small, fleshy-leaved annual of the goosefoot family. It is a quick-maturing, cool season crop that is hardy and will live outdoors over winter throughout most of the area from New Jersey southward along the Atlantic Coast and in most parts
of the lower South. There are two other plants called spinach, but they are not genuine: New Zealand spinach and Mountain spinach, or garden orach. The former, sometimes called ice plant, is a small annual of the carpetwee family. It is chiefly an Australasian and Japanese herb used as a substitute for spinach. Mountain spinach also belongs to the goosefoot family. In the western United States it is part of the vegetation referred to as greasewood and is sometimes call saltbush.
- Spinach may help enhance the immune system.
- Spinach may help in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
- Spinach may help in the prevention of cancer.
- Spinach may help in the prevention of gastrointestinal diseases.
- Spinach may help in the prevention of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism, migraine headaches, asthma and osteoporosis.
- Spinach may help in the prevention of degenerative diseases affecting the brain and the nervous system.
- Spinach may help in the maintenance of eye health.
Spinach has a laxative effect and is wonderful in weight-loss diets. It has a high calcium content, but also contains oxalic acid. This acid combines with calcium to form a compound that the body cannot absorb. For this reason, the calcium in spinach is considered unavailable as a nutrient. This is of small importance, however, in the ordinary diet. The oxalic acid factor would become important only if a person relied largely on spinach for calcium. The only effect the acid would have is if a large quantity of spinach juice were taken. This might cause disturbing results in the joints.
