Popeye the cartoon sailor may have been right to claim that spinach builds muscles.
It has long been known to be rich in nutrients such as calcium and iron, but its ability to increase strength has never been proven.
Now, scientists have shown that, in laboratory tests, chemicals in spinach do help to build muscles, speeding up the body's conversion of protein into muscle mass.
Unfortunately for those looking to increase their muscle mass, the team estimates that humans would have to eat more than 2.2lb (one kilogram) of spinach every day.
Researchers led by Ilya Raskin, from Rutgers University, New Jersey, tested the effect of the extracted chemicals, phytoecdysteroids.
When placed on samples of human muscle in a lab, they sped growth by up to 20 per cent.
Rats injected with the extract for a month were also stronger and had increased grip strength, the study, highlighted by New Scientist, shows.
High in vitamins C, A and K, previous research has suggested that spinach could help people battling weight problems to stay slim, by slowing the digestion of fat and fooling the body into feeling fuller for longer.
Studies have also shown that spinach can help to boost brainpower by keeping the mind alert.
Source: Telegraph.co.uk
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