Spinach: Cooked or raw? Whats best?

wrote in message . ..
Is it true that a lot of vegetables are better
nutritionally if cooked rather than raw?

This is the case with almost all of them. Only one I know of that
actually INCREASES nutritional value when cooked is carrots (at least
that's what I've heard, but I have nothing to back up this
claim...and, carrots are too carby anyway for most LCers).

If yes.... is that the case with spinach?

Don't know.

I don't mind spinach when it raw and used as a
salad..... but not real found of cooked canned spinach.

Why use canned? Sauté your raw spinach with some garlic and olive oil,
and add some crumbled cooked bacon if you want. I only cook mine until
it starts to get limp but it's still bright green. Yummy.

But it cooked canned spinach actually better due to the
cooking process?

I'm not following the canned spinach thing. Is caned spinach better
for you than fresh or even frozen?

Lee

wrote in message . ..
Is it true that a lot of vegetables are better
nutritionally if cooked rather than raw?

This is the case with almost all of them. Only one I know of that
actually INCREASES nutritional value when cooked is carrots (at least
that's what I've heard, but I have nothing to back up this
claim...and, carrots are too carby anyway for most LCers).

If yes.... is that the case with spinach?

Don't know.

I don't mind spinach when it raw and used as a
salad..... but not real found of cooked canned spinach.

Why use canned? Sauté your raw spinach with some garlic and olive oil,
and add some crumbled cooked bacon if you want. I only cook mine until
it starts to get limp but it's still bright green. Yummy.

But it cooked canned spinach actually better due to the
cooking process?

I'm not following the canned spinach thing. Is caned spinach better
for you than fresh or even frozen?

Lee

:.................... I like to sautee fresh baby spinach in butter
: and salt, then turn the heat down to low and add a dab or two of
cream
: cheese or some parmesan cheese, and stir until it's melted.
:
: --
: Michelle Levin
: http://www.mindspring.com/~lunachick
:


sounds great luna......................

I'm not following the canned spinach thing. Is caned spinach better
for you than fresh or even frozen?

No.... not necessarily

I just never thought abt sauteing spinach on my own.
sheepish grin

I'm not following the canned spinach thing. Is caned spinach better
for you than fresh or even frozen?

No.... not necessarily

I just never thought abt sauteing spinach on my own.
sheepish grin

Yes, spinach is nice raw, in salads. But you can also gentley saute it in
olive oil,

Ok I went out and bought some olive oil from walmart

But it says "light" olive oil

Is that OK for sauteing spinach in or should i take it back and get
the "extra virgin" olive oil?

What is the diff between the two?

wrote:

Yes, spinach is nice raw, in salads. But you can also gentley saute it in
olive oil,

Ok I went out and bought some olive oil from walmart

But it says "light" olive oil

Is that OK for sauteing spinach in or should i take it back and get
the "extra virgin" olive oil?

What is the diff between the two?

"Extra virgin" olive oil, the cold-pressed result of the first
pressing of the olives, is considered the finest and fruitiest of the
olive oils and is therefore also the most expensive. Extra virgin
olive oil can range from a crystalline champagne color to
greenish-golden to bright green. In general, the deeper the color, the
more intense the olive flavor.

After extra virgin, olive oils are classified in order of ascending
acidity. "Virgin" olive oil is also a first-press oil, with a slightly
higher level of acidity of between 1 and 3 percent. "Fino" olive oil
is a blend of extra virgin and virgin oils (fino is Italian for
"fine"). Products labeled simply "olive oil" (once called "pure" olive
oil) contain a combination of refined olive oil and virgin or extra
virgin oil.

The new "light olive oil" is lighter in both color and fragrance, and
has little of the classic olive-oil flavor. It's this rather
nondescript flavor that makes "light" olive oil perfect for baking and
cooking where regular olive oil's obvious essence might be
undesirable. The filtration process for this light-style oil also
gives it a higher smoke point than regular olive oil. Light olive oils
can therefore be used for high-heat frying, whereas regular olive oil
is better suited for low- to medium-heat cooking, as well as for many
uncooked foods such as salad dressings and marinades.

The International Olive Oil Institute recommends using pure olive oil
for frying, since the flavor of extra virgin olive oil tends to break
down at frying temperatures, making the added expense a waste.

..:. Craig

wrote:

Yes, spinach is nice raw, in salads. But you can also gentley saute it in
olive oil,

Ok I went out and bought some olive oil from walmart

But it says "light" olive oil

Is that OK for sauteing spinach in or should i take it back and get
the "extra virgin" olive oil?

What is the diff between the two?

"Extra virgin" olive oil, the cold-pressed result of the first
pressing of the olives, is considered the finest and fruitiest of the
olive oils and is therefore also the most expensive. Extra virgin
olive oil can range from a crystalline champagne color to
greenish-golden to bright green. In general, the deeper the color, the
more intense the olive flavor.

After extra virgin, olive oils are classified in order of ascending
acidity. "Virgin" olive oil is also a first-press oil, with a slightly
higher level of acidity of between 1 and 3 percent. "Fino" olive oil
is a blend of extra virgin and virgin oils (fino is Italian for
"fine"). Products labeled simply "olive oil" (once called "pure" olive
oil) contain a combination of refined olive oil and virgin or extra
virgin oil.

The new "light olive oil" is lighter in both color and fragrance, and
has little of the classic olive-oil flavor. It's this rather
nondescript flavor that makes "light" olive oil perfect for baking and
cooking where regular olive oil's obvious essence might be
undesirable. The filtration process for this light-style oil also
gives it a higher smoke point than regular olive oil. Light olive oils
can therefore be used for high-heat frying, whereas regular olive oil
is better suited for low- to medium-heat cooking, as well as for many
uncooked foods such as salad dressings and marinades.

The International Olive Oil Institute recommends using pure olive oil
for frying, since the flavor of extra virgin olive oil tends to break
down at frying temperatures, making the added expense a waste.

..:. Craig

. Light olive oils
can therefore be used for high-heat frying,

Wow! Thanks so much for that info!

Sounds like I chose the right thing huh? I want to try sauteing
fresh spinach so the light olive oil with it higher smoke point sounds
ideal for a non-savvy cook like me. Huh?

. Light olive oils
can therefore be used for high-heat frying,

Wow! Thanks so much for that info!

Sounds like I chose the right thing huh? I want to try sauteing
fresh spinach so the light olive oil with it higher smoke point sounds
ideal for a non-savvy cook like me. Huh?