Spinach is available in grocery stores almost all year round. It is very healthy and can be used in a variety of dishes. However, you often read that you should not reheat spinach. Here are the facts:
Storing spinach
Fresh spinach only keeps for a few days; it should be consumed quickly because it contains nitrate, which over time is converted by bacteria into nitrite and subsequently into toxic nitrosamines.
Wrap the spinach in a damp cloth and store it in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2 days. If you want to use spinach later, buy frozen spinach. This should be kept in the freezer until use and thawed directly over medium heat. Frozen spinach also contains less nitrate than fresh spinach because it was blanched before freezing, allowing some of the nitrate to be released into the water. Therefore, be sure to discard the cooking water and do not reuse it!
Can you reheat spinach?
Yes, you can. However, please note that you should not keep the spinach warm for a long time; instead, let it cool down once, place it in the refrigerator immediately, and only then reheat the meal completely.
Spinach varieties
Spring spinach reaches maturity in the spring and is therefore one of the first fresh vegetables to ripen in our outdoor production. This variety is particularly tender and ideal for salads. The autumn and summer varieties are a little more robust and have a significantly more tart and spicy flavor. Summer spinach and outdoor-grown spinach contain very little nitrate.
Spinach in the kitchen
Due to its pleasantly spicy aroma, spinach is very versatile. It goes well with meat and fish, as a filling for savory pastries or vegetable pies, harmonizes with pasta dishes, and tastes great as a salad, strudel, or soup. Always clean the spinach thoroughly before cooking, as it is usually very sandy.
Vitamins in spinach
Spinach contains minerals, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and folic acid. The minerals include iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
Read also: Recipe for a green smoothie with spinach
Photo by Sabine, meinhaushalt.at
The problem is not the reheating, but the storage: spinach contains nitrate, which over time is converted by bacteria into nitrite and subsequently into toxic nitrosamines. Therefore, it should be consumed as quickly as possible. This applies not only to cooked but also to raw spinach. The tip not to reheat spinach comes from the time before refrigerators existed, but it persists very stubbornly. The same applies to mushrooms, by the way.
Thanks for the comment, I will correct that immediately!!