If Popeye made iron only from spinach, his mythical arm wrestling would not be so strong and resistant!
Despite being very rich in iron, spinach - like all vegetables - contains antinutrients that reduce the absorption of this precious mineral, which is also found in an unfavorable chemical state.
The human intestine, in fact, can only absorb between 2 and 10% of the iron contained in the vegetables (trivalent iron), while that enclosed in products of animal origin (bivalent iron) is absorbed between 10 and 35%.
A splash of lemon on spinach can slightly increase the bioavailability of the iron they contain, improving intestinal absorption.
