Spinach season is well underway, and since I’ve already written about some of the other leafy greens I’m probably overdue for a post on spinach. Spinach is chock-full of nutrients, and, like those other leafy greens, is low in calories. One cup of raw spinach has only 7 kcal! That same cup of spinach also has 31 mg of calcium, 0.86 mg of iron, 25 mg of magnesium, 177 mg of potassium, and 1983 micrograms of beta carotene. Unlike lettuce, spinach is highly versatile and is great both raw and cooked. In fact, cooking spinach makes the minerals more easily absorbed by our bodies. Try wilting the spinach in a pan with a little garlic.

Enjoy raw spinach in salads. Add chopped spinach to omelettes and frittatas or tomato sauce. Hide spinach in a fruit smoothie or use it in sandwiches and wraps.