12:04pm UK, Thursday May 08, 2008

Popeye was right - eating spinach really does give you bulging biceps.

Just like the cartoon character who became superhuman when he gulped down tins of spinach, people who eat plenty of leafy greens can boost their muscle power.

180 popeye & spinach

Spinach really does boost strength

Researchers have discovered that a steroid chemical, called phytoecdy, ramps up the manufacture of muscle protein by 20 per cent in laboratory tests.

As well as being rich in vitamins, spinach is said to help combat eye disease, gum problems and anaemia.

It is also used in the fight against cancer and as a detox food.

Medical researchers have also high-lighted its benefits for the heart - it can reduce the risk of attacks and boost survival rates for a third of victims.

However, according to the scientists Rutgers University in New Jersey, the average person would have to eat 2Ib (1kg) of spinach a day to produce similar muscle growth to Popeye.

New Scientist magazinesaid: "Unfortunately, you would need to eat more than a kilogram of spinach every day to gain equivalent amounts of the steroid."