Spinach: Strong Enough for Popeye, But Is It Really That Iron-Rich?

We’ve all heard it at some point: “Eat your spinach—it’ll make you strong, just like Popeye!” But is there any truth to this? Let's set the record straight and dive into one of the longest-standing food myths—where spinach’s legendary iron content came from and why it isn’t quite what we’ve been led to believe.

The Spinach-Iron Myth: An Error That Got Iron-Clad

The myth that spinach is packed with iron stems from a simple, and rather humorous, mistake: a misplaced decimal point. Decades ago, researchers mistakenly reported that 100 grams of spinach contained 38 mg of iron, when in fact it only has 3.8 mg (and even less after cooking, dropping to 2.9 mg).

Though this error was corrected back in the 1930s, the myth stuck around. So while spinach isn’t the iron powerhouse it was once believed to be, it’s still nutrient-rich and contains more iron than lettuce (which has 2.0 mg per 100 g). Iron aside, spinach boasts impressive levels of magnesium and vitamins, so it’s still worth a spot on your plate.

Spinach: Still a Superfood—Just Not That Super

Even without super-high iron levels, spinach is incredibly versatile and healthy. Whether in salads, smoothies, soups, or pasta dishes, it pairs well with a wide variety of foods. And if you add a touch of seasoning and maybe a splash of cream, you might even get your kids to enjoy it without invoking Popeye’s help!

If you’re worried about keeping spinach fresh, no worries. In a Liebherr BioFresh compartment, it can stay crisp for up to 2 weeks—and up to 5 days in a standard fridge. Who knew spinach had secret superpowers in storage?

Looking for Iron? There Are Stronger Sources

Though spinach isn’t the iron giant it was once thought to be, there are other foods that can help boost your iron levels:

• Fortified cereals

• Oysters

• White beans

• Beef liver

So, while Popeye might have taken some liberties in promoting spinach as his secret strength booster, it’s still a great addition to a healthy diet. And speaking of food myths—remember that one about soy? In a similar way, soy was once misunderstood too, but today we know better.

(Feel free to check out our recent blog post on soy myths for more myth-busting food facts!)

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By S Badrinath