They have 3 common features: they are leaves, they are green, and they have many wonderful nutritional values for our bodies. Why is it worth adding them to our daily diet? See below.
All conditions and sowing dates for vegetables, including lettuce and spinach, can be found in our "Vegetable and Flower Sowing Calendar," available in e-book form in the app - go to the "Publications" tab.
Why eat greens?
The green pigment of these plants is nothing else but chlorophyll, which has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. Antioxidation is the best way to prevent heart diseases, cancers, strokes, but also Alzheimer's disease in our lifetime. That's not all. Did you know that leafy vegetables regulate blood pressure?
Which green leaves to grow?
Spinach
Studies show that the healthiest option is fresh garden spinach. It contains a wealth of vitamins and substances (antioxidants) that fight free radicals in our bodies, which, if free radicals win, can lead to cancer, atherosclerosis, and even Alzheimer's disease, etc. Spinach also contains a substance that promotes muscle mass growth, which is why researchers call it a natural doping agent :) Apparently, spinach comes from Nepal. How fortunate that we have it here; we can sow it in our gardens or buy it, incorporate it into our diet, and enjoy good health.
How to eat spinach? Studies show that it's best fresh, without processing. For example, you can put it on a sandwich instead of lettuce or make salads with it (more about lettuce below). Occasionally, eat a leaf as a snack; the least invasive in its properties processing is, for example, preparing a smoothie, but after about 3 minutes of heat treatment, its properties decrease by almost half. Therefore, we can safely prepare dishes with it, dumplings, pasta, casseroles, pizzas, but let's make sure to eat it in its raw form from time to time.
When do we sow spinach? We sow directly into the ground from March to April and from July to September, even in October, for early spring germination.
🟢In the "Cultivation Plans" tab, you will find a cultivation plan for spinach.
Lettuce
Does classic lettuce have something special to offer us? Indeed! Did you know that lettuce was consumed by people building the Egyptian pyramids? And it wasn't a coincidence because these people had to have a really decent diet. Lettuce, like spinach, contains a lot of folic acid, which is essential, for example, for pregnant women (it ensures the proper development of the fetus). Studies also show that regularly consuming lettuce regulates bowel movements and protects against colon cancer.
Which lettuce is best to eat? We haven't found studies that unequivocally show which variety of lettuce is the best, but it's definitely better to eat from organic sources (it has more nutritional value), garden or unpackaged (there were loud cases of lettuce wrapped in foil containing dangerous bacteria).
When to sow lettuce? Already in April, directly into the ground. We can sow until July. How to grow it? Read about it in the post: "What cultivation requirements does lettuce have?"
Fun fact: Lettuce, spinach, arugula, and lamb's lettuce are 4 golden leafy vegetables for smokers! Why? Studies show that the more of these leafy vegetables smokers consumed, the more it reduced their risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
🟢In the "Cultivation Plans" tab, you will find a cultivation plan for lettuce.
