Do you know why Popeye sailors like to eat spinach?

Popeye sailor familiar with 8x - 9x has a classic scene: eating spinach and superhuman chemistry.

Do the early 8x - 9x remember Popeye? It is the name of a fictional character in the animated series - the comic of the same name created by EC Segar.

If you know about Popeye, you will probably remember the classic scene every time the sailor needs strength to treat your name to Pluto. At that time, Popeye would open a box of spinach, the bowl was clean and immediately muscled, becoming the world's strongest man.

Popeye eats spinach and becomes a superman.

When we were kids, we watched movies with the main style of fun. When the time is big, remember, have you ever wondered why spinach? There are hundreds of vegetables in the world, Popeye chose spinach. Why not carrots, potatoes, watercress, spoonfuls?

Everything has its cause, but the reason this time makes sure you are surprised.

All because . wrong

Popeye's animated version came out in 1933. But the reason why this guy - or more accurately the author EC Segar chose spinach, came from a more distant past - in 1870.

At that time, German chemist Erich von Wolf did a quantitative study of the nutritional composition of vegetables. But when it comes to spinach - or spinach , a small incident happened: Wolf forgot to put the decimal part in the data.

Spinach - or spinach.

After all, according to Wolf's writing, the concentration of iron in spinach is up to 35mg / 100g (actually only 3.5mg).

For those who don't know, this is a huge number. If that number is correct, eating 100g of vegetables will look like you swallow a paper clip.

But that is afterward. When Erich von Wolf published the report, he did not realize he was missing, and no one recognized it. Spinach thus became famous throughout the world, considered a sacred vegetable for bodybuilders (iron is a trace element needed to strengthen muscles).

Popeye's reputation and preferences for eating special vegetables make the consumption of spinach in the United States soar.

It was not until 1937 - 70 years after the other report appeared - information about spinach was corrected. But Popeye had appeared and made a huge buzz at the time, so it couldn't be changed.

Anyway, it is fortunate. Although spinach does not have too much iron concentration as the Wolf version, but the nutritional factors in it are also very high, and extremely good for health.

Popeye's reputation and that special vegetable hobby made the consumption of spinach in the US still increase by 33%, even during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Spinach is also ranked 3rd in the list of most favorite foods for American children of all time (after turkey and ice cream).