Myths about spinach and frozen vegetables
Spinach is particularly high in iron
One of the best-known nutritional myths concerns the iron content of spinach. For a long time, spinach was believed to be a particularly rich source of iron, making it a superfood for blood health. This assumption goes back to an error in a scientific publication from the 19th century. In it, the iron content of spinach was overestimated tenfold.
Modern analyses show that spinach does contain iron, but not in such exceptionally high quantities as originally assumed. In addition, the iron contained in spinach is less bioavailable than that from animal sources. This means that our body cannot absorb it as efficiently. Spinach is nevertheless prized for its many other health benefits, including high levels of vitamins and antioxidants.
Frozen vegetables contain fewer vitamins than fresh vegetables
A widespread myth is that vegetables from the freezer lose nutritional value compared to fresh vegetables from the market or supermarket. However, the reality is quite different: Frozen vegetables are often flash-frozen immediately after harvesting, which means that vitamins and minerals are effectively locked in. In contrast, fresh vegetables continuously lose nutrients during transport and time on the shelf. In many cases, frozen vegetables can therefore contain more vitamins than their fresh market counterparts.
Vitamins are only present in cold-pressed oils
This statement is actually correct. The cold pressing of oil fruits, kernels and seeds retains the majority of vitamins. Refined oils, on the other hand, lose a large part of their nutritional properties during processing. However, this fact should not tempt you to only use virgin oils in future. Refined oils also have their place in the kitchen. When cold-pressed oils are heated, the valuable vitamins are lost. Although this is not harmful to health, it is expensive, as these oils are usually more expensive than refined oils.
As a rule, refined oils also have a higher smoke point. This indicates the point at which an oil begins to smoke and thus form potentially harmful substances. Let's take rapeseed oil as an example: cold-pressed rapeseed oil starts to smoke at 130 degrees Celsius. With refined rapeseed oil, on the other hand, this point is only reached at around 190 degrees Celsius.
7 tips for everyday life
- More is not always better. Just like a deficiency, an overdose can also have a negative effect on health. However, this is unlikely with vitamins in food. However, you should be careful when taking supplements - especially with your children.
- If you want to give your child vitamin supplements, you should choose supplements specially designed for children. However, the focus should always be on nutritional coverage first.
- The exception to this is vitamin D. This vitamin is not absorbed through food, but is formed on the skin with the help of sunlight. The Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE) recommends different dosages and time periods depending on the age of the child: www.sge-ssn.ch > Vitamin D.
- Further specific vitamin recommendations for your child can also be found on the SGE website. Using the search function, you can find detailed recommendations for each age group under «Nutrition for children».
- A varied diet contributes to a better vitamin supply: With vegetables and fruit in particular, different colours indicate different nutrients. So make your fruit and vegetable portions particularly colourful.
- However, fruit and vegetables do not cover all vitamins. A balanced diet consisting of a starchy side dish - cereal products or potatoes - as well as proteins in the form of meat, fish, milk and dairy products, eggs and pulses is essential for sufficient nutrient coverage.
- Make the meal more interesting by offering different colours and textures on the plate. Finger food of all kinds is often a hit with children.
