Popeye might not be happy about the ban issued by the US Food and Drug Administration against the marketing and consumption of spinach across the United States.

Although the warning against the vegetable has already been lifted, many health-conscious consumers and vegetarians are now suddenly weary about getting spinach back to their diets. A principal concern of most consumers now is finding alternative food that will substitute the nutrients provided by spinach.

Unfortunately, it would be hard to find other food that individually contains all the nutrients stored in spinach. Single substitutes would not be appropriate because those nutrients are scattered among other nutritious food.

E. Coli outbreak

The consumption of spinach was temporarily restrained after 199 people were killed by E. Coli infection across 26 states in the country. The principal microorganism was identified as E. Coli O157:H7.

Studies are still being conducted to prove that the spinach was the culprit for the rapid spread of the outbreak, but people are now fast moving to find substitutes for nutrients found in spinach.

Experts recommend that people just wash their spinach thoroughly before consumption rather than finding substitute for the nutrients found in the leafy veggie.

It is because the E.Coli microorganisms might have been put to the spinach during the handling process of the merchandise from farms. Contamination of the germs is somehow similar to the usual contamination process affecting other types of food.

There are also fruits and vegetables washing solutions out in the market today that can surely help get rid of the E.Coli contaminants in spinach. Be just wary about washing spinach and other vegetables with soap for it may affect their taste and safety.

Substitutes for nutrients of spinach

However, for those people who decide to look out for substitutes for nutrients found in spinach, dieticians can recommend a handful of nutritious food.

The most significant nutrients found in spinach are Vitamin K and A, folate, iron and potassium. No other food are found to contain all these minerals and nutrients, but you can resort to eating varieties of food and vegetables at the same time to secure substitutes for suc.

You may have to find each nutrient in other food. For example, folate is a nutrient found usually within fortified grain products like cereal, pasta and bread.

Substitutes for the nutrient iron are red meat, chicken and fish. Lentils, as well as dried black and red beans also provide a good substitute for the iron nutrient found in regular servings of spinach.

As for the other vitamins and nutrients found in spinach, mustard greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, peppers and broccoli can be good and equally tasty substitutes.

Canned and processed spinach as substitutes

Other substitutes for fresh spinach would no other be another form of spinach, this time in the form of canned and processed goods.

Experts claim that as for the case of E. Coli contamination, canned and processed spinach comes ahead and far safer than the fresh counterparts.

The nutrients can somehow be diminished, but they are still present. Therefore, you will not need to worry about finding other substitutes to get the taste and nutrients offered by the leafy spinach.

The past generations have really been awed at how the sailorman, Popeye, got superb energy and strength from cans of spinach.

Your moms and grand moms must have spent considerable efforts to convince you to develop the habit of eating the spinach, but there are times when you have to pause, and find substitutes so you can get the veggie's nutrients.

No other food can be as nutritious as the spinach, but consider the alternatives, especially during times when contamination issues are raised.

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