March 26 is National Spinach Day.

According to the BBC, “Spinach is believed to be of Persian origin. By the 12th century, it spread across Europe and became a desirable leafy green known for good health; a reputation that stands firm to this day.”

Of course, we all know that spinach is the food that gave Popeye the Sailor his temporary superhuman strength. This site and others say the selection of spinach as Popeye’s superfood was based on popular misinformation about its iron content, which was the result of a a 19th century German chemist misplacing a decimal point. Ha! But then this article claims to debunk that myth. So who knows?

Here’s a typical Popeye-eats-his-spinach clip:

I’m strong to the finich
Cause I eats me spinach
I’m Popeye the Sailor Man!

Related article

• National Spinach Day (holidayinsights.com)