Sautéed Spinach
The easiest way to get more iron and beta-carotene onto your plate tonight
Spinach is one of those vegetables that works hard for you whether it's raw or cooked, which makes it pretty easy to work into whatever you're already eating. Cooking it gives your body better access to the iron and beta-carotene, and eating it raw preserves more of the vitamin C and B vitamins, but honestly the best version is whichever one you'll actually eat. If you want the full breakdown on why cooking method matters more than people think for nutrient absorption, that's all over in this post.
This recipe takes about five minutes, and the lemon at the end isn't just for flavour.
Sautéed Spinach
Serves 4 | Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 bag baby spinach
Half a lemon
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the garlic and let it soften for about a minute, then add the spinach with salt and pepper and toss everything together. Cover and cook on low for two minutes, then uncover and stir for another minute until it's all wilted down. Squeeze the lemon over the top before you serve it, and don't skip that part because the vitamin C in the lemon actually helps your body absorb the iron in the spinach. Small things, real results.
The raw vs. cooked breakdown is simpler than you think. Read this.
This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet or lifestyle.
I'm Tammy, a Holistic Nutrition Consultant and mom who believes exhausted shouldn't be your baseline. Since 2011 I've been helping women connect the dots between their gut and their energy, because when your gut is happy, everything else gets a little easier Start with the free 5-day energy series.