Popeye and Spinach Trivia

spinach in the garden

In 1929, Popeye the Sailor Man strode onto the newspaper stage of the Thimble Theatre as a minor character. The middle aged, muttering sailor stole the hearts of American audiences- he was here to stay.

Popeye became a pop icon during the 1930's, transforming the public's opinion on an unlikely leafy green: spinach. Popeye guzzled his first can of spinach three years after his first appearance on Thimble Theatre. Spinach gave Popeye strength and superpowers, meaning that the vegetable was pretty nifty in the eyes of thousands of kids. It was the biggest thing to happen to the American spinach industry since spinach dip.

But why did Popeye’s creator, E.C Segar, choose spinach as Popeye’s vegetable of choice? Couldn’t Popeye have downed a can full of broccoli, one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables on earth?

The answer is as simple as A, B, C. Actually, it’s not even that difficult- it’s as simple as A- Vitamin A, that is.

Nope, not iron, the nutrient for which spinach is so highly reputed and the one that is often assumed to be the secret to Popeye’s strength.

Popeye himself says “Spinach is full of Vitamin A an’ tha’s what makes hoomans strong an’ helty.”

Even in the 1930’s, people knew that spinach is not as excellent a source of iron as it is purported to be. While the vegetable is rich in iron (an 180g serving contains 6.43mg), spinach also contains a substance called oxalate, which inhibits the absorption of iron.

This having been said, don't throw out your spinach.

It truly is a superfood, especially when it comes to Vitamin A content. One cup of fresh spinach contains 56% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin A, a vitamin that keeps skin and mucous membranes healthy, as well as supporting the immune system and is a powerful antioxidant.

Both spinach and Popeye can proudly say: "I yam what I yam, and that's all what I yam," and both are pretty powerful.