 "To counteract the bitterness of the older leaves of this herb, the Māori boiled it with the roots of the convolvulus ("pōhue")".The tips of the spinach can be pinched off and eaten raw or cooked.When consumed after boiling, New Zealand spinach is 95% water, 2% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and contains negligible fat, while supplying only 12 calories (table).