Quinoa vs. Spinach

Nutrition comparison of Cooked Quinoa and Spinach


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

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

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

  • Both spinach and quinoa are high in dietary fiber.
  • For omega-3 fatty acids, quinoa has more dha than spinach.
  • Spinach has 4.8 times less carbohydrates than quinoa.
  • Spinach has more pantothenic acid and folate.
  • Spinach is a great source of iron.
  • Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of quinoa 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: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Quinoa src
Image of Spinach src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Quinoa is high in calories and spinach has 81% less calories than quinoa - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and quinoa has 120 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, quinoa is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to spinach per calorie. Quinoa has a macronutrient ratio of 15:71:15 and for spinach, 40:49:10 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Quinoa Spinach
Protein 15% 40%
Carbohydrates 71% 49%
Fat 15% 10%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Spinach has 4.8 times less carbohydrates than quinoa - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and quinoa has 21.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both spinach and quinoa are high in dietary fiber. Quinoa has 27% more dietary fiber than spinach - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and quinoa has 2.8g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Spinach and quinoa contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and quinoa has 0.87g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spinach and quinoa contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and quinoa has 4.4g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both spinach and quinoa are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and quinoa has 0.23g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has more Vitamin C than quinoa - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than quinoa - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Spinach and quinoa contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and quinoa has 0.63mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has more Vitamin K than quinoa - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and quinoa does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

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

Quinoa Spinach
Thiamin 0.107 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.11 MG 0.189 MG
Niacin 0.412 MG 0.724 MG
Pantothenic acid ~ 0.065 MG
Vitamin B6 0.123 MG 0.195 MG
Folate 42 UG 194 UG

Minerals

calcium

Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 482% more calcium than quinoa - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and quinoa has 17mg of calcium.

iron

Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 82% more iron than quinoa - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and quinoa has 1.5mg of iron.

potassium

Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 224% more potassium than quinoa - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and quinoa has 172mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

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,

Quinoa Spinach
beta-carotene 3 UG 5626 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 53 UG 12198 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, quinoa has more DHA than spinach per 100 grams. Both quinoa and spinach contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Quinoa Spinach
alpha linoleic acid 0.085 G 0.138 G
DHA 0.015 G ~
Total 0.1 G 0.138 G

omega 6s

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

Quinoa Spinach
linoleic acid 0.974 G 0.026 G
other omega 6 0.003 G ~
Total 0.977 G 0.026 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Quinoa (Quinoa, cooked) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) .

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FAQ

Does spinach or quinoa contain more calories in 100 grams?
Quinoa is high in calories and spinach has 80% less calories than quinoa - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and quinoa has 120 calories.

Is spinach or quinoa better for protein?
Spinach and quinoa contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and quinoa has 4.4g of protein.

Does spinach or quinoa have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach has 4.8 times fewer carbohydrates than quinoa - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and quinoa has 21.3g of carbohydrates.

Does spinach or quinoa contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 480% more calcium than quinoa - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and quinoa has 17mg of calcium.

Does spinach or quinoa contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 220% more potassium than quinoa - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and quinoa has 172mg of potassium.

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