Nutrition: raw vs cooked spinach

Self-tutoring about nutrition: the tutor mentions a point of view.

I knew a Greek named Petros from the Old Country who told me that boiling spinach for a couple of minutes, then eating it with a few drops of oil, is the “best thing for you.” He was known for his vitality, so I believed him. In fact, I came to trust pretty much everything he said; he was a rare person.

Yet, many of us recall being told that raw vegetables are better. Who is right? The more I hear, the more it seems Petros is. Apparently, quick cooking of spinach breaks down oxalic acid, which spinach naturally contains, but can inhibit the body’s absorption of its other nutrients. For that reason, plus perhaps others, one might achieve more benefit from eating cooked spinach than raw.

Some people criticize Petros’ cooking method, preferring to sauté or stir-fry, for instance. Well, maybe, but he didn’t boil it for long. Moreover, he knew to cook spinach in the 90s, long before I heard it from anyone else.

Source:

spreademkitchen.com