Spinach In addition to providing strength to muscles, it protects the retina

Foods for the eyes
Spinach

In addition to providing strength to muscles, it protects the retina
French: Epinard; Spanish: Espinaca
Description: Spinach ('Spinacia oleracea' L.) is a herbaceous plant of the botanical family Chenopodiaceae.

Popeye, the famous cartoon soilor, owed his great strength to eating spinach. Today, both clinical and laboratory investigations confirm that Popeye was correct in eating so much spinach for strength. Besides, new diet therapy applications have been discovered for this excellent vegetable, such as its protective properties concerning the retina and vision.

PROPERTIES AND INDICATIONS: Spinach is possibly the highest nutritious green leafy vegetable known, although it only contains 22 calories per 100 grams. Its protein content is quite high for a green (2.86%), but it contains little carbohydrates (0.8%) and fats (0.35%).
The nutritive power of spinach derives from its richness in vitamins and minerals, as 100g of spinach provides:
-two thirds (672 µg RE) of the daily need for vitamin A (1,000 µg RE), 
-practically all (194  µg) of folic acid or folates needed daily (200  µg ),
-half of the vitamin C (28.1 mg) needed daily (60 mg),
-almost one-fourth (79 mg)of the daily requirement for magnesium (350 mg),
-more than one-fourth (2.71 mg) of the daily need for iron (10 mg).

These are some of its important applications:
-Retinal disorders: A very precise investigation carried out at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and at Harvard University (USA)4 shows that persons between 55 and 80 years of age who regularly eat spinach present a much lower risk of losing visual acuity due to macular degeneration.

Regular consumption of spinach is recommended to all who wish to preserve sight, particularly
those over the age of 50.

-Anemia: Spinach contains 2.71 mg of iron /100 g, a proportion greater than that found in meat. Although iron from plant sources is more difficult to absorb than that from animal sources, the presence of vitamin C from the spinach itself and from other foods, significantly improves the assimilation of this mineral.
Fresh spinach juice is an effective way to consume it in cases of anemia.
-Elevated choresterol level: Experiments with animals have shown that spinach proteins inhibit the absorption of choresterol and bile acids. Its regular use aids in reducing blood cholesterol level.
-Pregnancy: Because of its rich folic acid or folate content, (194 µg/100 g), which prevents certain fetal malformations, in addition to its antianemic action, spinach is an ideal green for pregnant women. 
-Physical activity and growth: Because of its rich vitamin and mineral content, spinach is highly recommended for those engaged in physical activities such as athletes and adolescents during periods of rapid growth.

PREPARATION AND USE
(1)Raw: When spinach is tender, it may be eaten in salads.
(2)Frozen: Frozen spinach loses a small portion of its vitamin C, but it has the advantage of being available year-round.
(3)Cooked: The ideal method is steaming, which preserves most  of its vitamins and minerals. 
(4)Fresh juice: One-half glass a day sipped before lunch or supper is the recommened dose. 

Spinach is very rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that prevent vision loss because of degeneration of the macula, the most sensitive point of the retina. This disorder is the most common cause of blindness among the elderly. Spinach is even more effective than carrots in the prevention of senile macular degeneration.