Spinach is a leafy green vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked. It is known for being nutritious, especially rich in iron and vitamins.
From Middle English *spinache*, from Old French *espinache*, from Arabic *isfānākh*, from Persian *aspanākh*. The plant and its name traveled from Persia through the Arab world into Europe.
Spinach’s journey from Persian fields to English plates is hidden in its many transformed spellings. Its strong, slightly bitter taste made it a symbol of “healthy but maybe not your favorite”—until cartoons like Popeye turned it into instant muscle fuel in kids’ imaginations.
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