COMMENTS FROM MICAH
Spinach, best grown in mild climates with an abundance of fertile, high quality soil and water, put Crystal City, Texas on the map in 1917.
This southern area of Texas is best known as the Wintergarden region and is recognized by farmers for its long growing seasons.
From 1930-1950, the Wintergarden region experienced a “spinach boom,” making Texas the top spinach producing state in the US. Over time, consumer demands influenced production in Texas, leading to varieties such as “baby” and “teen” flat-leaf spinach. From 2006-2016, Texas experienced a 29% increase in spinach production, jumping from 32,025 tons of spinach produced to 41,215.
Other than being a popular commodity in Texas, spinach has many nutritional benefits, including its high vitamin and mineral counts, caloric density, and its contributions to heart health. Nutritional facts for 100 grams (three cups) of spinach:
• 2.86 grams of protein.
• 3.63 grams of carbs.
• just 0.39 grams of fat.
• 28.1 milligrams of Vitamin C.
• 469 micrograms of Vitamin A.
• 482.9 micrograms of Vitamin K.
• 194 micrograms of Folate.
And for all that goodness, it’s very low in calories. One cup of spinach equates to a total of six calories.
While spinach is often served raw in salads, it can also be enjoyed in soups, pastas, and dips.
AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight has developed recipes to incorporate spinach into your meals as a main ingredient.
Visit dinnertonight.tamu.edu/.
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