Popeye was right: spinach makes you stronger. At least that’s the conclusion reached by a new study recently published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Remember the comic strip Popeye where he would open a can of spinach as a way to gain strength to overcome any threats? The study showed that after just three days of consuming a daily plate of spinach, muscles were more effective.
Contrary to previous belief, iron is not the key to this phenomenon, but rather nitrates, which are particularly abundant in spinach. Researchers discovered that eating 300g of the vegetable significantly reduced the amount of oxygen needed to power muscles – by as much as five percent when exercising.
Nitrates make the mitochondria (the energy factories of each cell) more efficient, much like a fuel additive for muscles. They also increase nitric oxide in the body, which opens blood vessels, lowers blood pressure and promotes good circulation.