I remember when I was a child. My mum and I had this argument every meal time;

Mum – “Eat your Greens”

Joe – “No, they taste horrible”

Mum – “But they’ll help you grow big and strong”

Joe – “Yeah right”

Well mum, I think I owe you an apology because researchers have just discovered something called phytoecdy, a steroid chemical found in the disgusting tasting stuff that good ‘ole Popeye used to love so much – Spinach.

Apparently the chemical boosts muscle protein by 20 percent. Not only that, Spinach is rich in vitamins, can help combat eye disease, gum problems, anemia and is even used as a detox food for fighting Cancer.

The research also high-lighted the green stuff’s benefits for the heart as it can reduce the risk of heart attacks and boost the survival rates for victims.

For those of you who don’t know Spinach is rich in a number of essential nutrients, including calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin A. Each of these nutrients plays a crucial role in our body’s health, from maintaining bone structure, preventing neural tube defects, assisting in red blood cell production, regulating our heartbeat, fighting free radicals and nourishing good eyesight.

But don’t worry folks, scientists at Rutgers University in New Jersey say that the average person would have to eat around 2lb (1kg) of spinach a day to gain bulging biceps like everybody’s favorite sailor man, Popeye, and no one I know is that brave.

It’s up to you what you eat, but it’s nice to know you can force feed yourself enough spinach to give the Jolly Green Giant a run for his money. That being said, there is no way I’m standing downwind of you, if you do.