As a kid, you probably left it on your plate. Now you pack it into your smoothies. Today we’re unpacking the numbers behind a year-round staple for many, Popeye’s one-stop muscle shop in a can: spinach!
Although unfortunately not guaranteed to instantly grow your muscles (sorry, Popeye), spinach is a superfood rich in essential nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin K and iron.
A field vegetable that grows best in cool temperatures, spinach typically requires six weeks to grow from planting to maturity. In 2022, there were 2,229 acres of fresh spinach planted nationwide, up from 2,108 in 2021.
About two-thirds (67.4%) of that acreage was in Quebec, and one-quarter (24.0%) was in Ontario.
Thanks to greenhouse growing, Canadians can enjoy a variety of local produce year-round. There were 205 990 square metres of other fresh fruits or vegetables (a category that includes fresh spinach) harvested from Canada’s greenhouses in 2022, up by nearly half (+48.9%) from 2021.
Spinach is also commonly grown in our own gardens at home. With the warm weather upon us, many Canadians have already planted their seedlings and are watching their vegetables grow.
Whether you enjoy it fresh from the garden, out of the freezer, or straight from the can, Popeye-style, you can’t go wrong with a little spinach!
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