Leeks vs. Spinach

Nutrition comparison of Leeks and Spinach


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of leeks versus spinach (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in leeks and spinach:

  • Both spinach and leeks are high in calcium and iron.
  • Spinach has 62% less calories than leek.
  • Spinach has 74% less carbohydrates than leek.
  • Spinach has more riboflavin and folate, however, leek contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber.
  • Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of leeks and spinach is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Leeks src
Image of Spinach src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Spinach has 62% less calories than leek - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and leek has 61 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, leeks is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to spinach per calorie. Leeks has a macronutrient ratio of 9:87:4 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Leeks Spinach
Protein 9% 39%
Carbohydrates 87% 49%
Fat 4% 12%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Spinach has 74% less carbohydrates than leek - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and leek has 14.2g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 22% more dietary fiber than leek - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Spinach and leeks contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and leek has 3.9g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spinach and leeks contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and leek has 1.5g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both spinach and leeks are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and leek has 0.04g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 134% more Vitamin C than leek - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and leek has 12mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 465% more Vitamin A than leek - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and leek has 83ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Spinach and leeks contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 927% more Vitamin K than leek - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and leek has 47ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Spinach has more riboflavin and folate, however, leek contains more pantothenic acid. Both leeks and spinach contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin and Vitamin B6.

Leeks Spinach
Thiamin 0.06 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.03 MG 0.189 MG
Niacin 0.4 MG 0.724 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.14 MG 0.065 MG
Vitamin B6 0.233 MG 0.195 MG
Folate 64 UG 194 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both spinach and leeks are high in calcium. Spinach has 68% more calcium than leek - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and leek has 59mg of calcium.

iron

Both spinach and leeks are high in iron. Spinach has 29% more iron than leek - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and leek has 2.1mg of iron.

potassium

Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 210% more potassium than leek - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and leek has 180mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

flavonoids

Naturally occuring in fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are associated with many health benefits and used in a variety of medicinal and pharmaceutical applications. [2][3]

For specific flavonoid compounds, both leeks and spinach contain significant amounts of myricetin.

Leeks Spinach
kaempferol 2.67 mg 6.38 mg
myricetin 0.22 mg 0.35 mg
Quercetin 0.09 mg 3.97 mg
luteolin ~ 0.74 mg

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids,

Leeks Spinach
beta-carotene 1000 UG 5626 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 1900 UG 12198 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, both leeks and spinach contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Leeks Spinach
alpha linoleic acid 0.099 G 0.138 G
Total 0.099 G 0.138 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, leek has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.

Leeks Spinach
linoleic acid 0.067 G 0.026 G
Total 0.067 G 0.026 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Leeks or Spinach .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) .

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FAQ

Does spinach or leeks contain more calories in 100 grams?
Spinach has 60% less calories than leek - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and leek has 61 calories.

Is spinach or leeks better for protein?
Spinach and leeks contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and leek has 1.5g of protein.

Does spinach or leeks have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach has 70% fewer carbohydrates than leek - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and leek has 14.2g of carbohydrates.

Does spinach or leeks contain more calcium?
Both spinach and leeks are high in calcium. Spinach has 70% more calcium than leek - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and leek has 59mg of calcium.

Does spinach or leeks contain more iron?
Both spinach and leeks are high in iron. Spinach has 30% more iron than leek - spinach has 2.7mg of iron in 100 grams and leek has 2.1mg of iron.

Does spinach or leeks contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 210% more potassium than leek - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and leek has 180mg of potassium.

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