Collard Greens vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Collard Greens and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
collard greens
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in collard greens and spinach:
- Both spinach and collard greens are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, dietary fiber and potassium.
- Collard green has more pantothenic acid.
- Spinach is a great source of iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Collard Greens (Collards, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spinach and collard greens contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and collard green has 32 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, collard greens is lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and similar to spinach for fat. Collard greens has a macronutrient ratio of 31:55:14 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Collard Greens | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 31% | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 55% | 49% |
| Fat | 14% | 12% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Spinach and collard greens contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and collard green has 5.4g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both spinach and collard greens are high in dietary fiber. Collard green has 82% more dietary fiber than spinach - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and collard green has 4g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach and collard greens contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and collard green has 0.46g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spinach and collard greens contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and collard green has 3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both spinach and collard greens are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and collard green has 0.06g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both spinach and collard greens are high in Vitamin C. Collard green has 26% more Vitamin C than spinach - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and collard green has 35.3mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both spinach and collard greens are high in Vitamin A. Spinach has 87% more Vitamin A than collard green - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and collard green has 251ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Spinach and collard greens contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and collard green has 2.3mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both spinach and collard greens are high in Vitamin K. Spinach has a little more Vitamin K (10%) than collard green by weight - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and collard green has 437.1ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Collard green has more pantothenic acid. Both collard greens and spinach contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Collard Greens | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.054 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.13 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 0.742 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.267 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.165 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 129 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both spinach and collard greens are high in calcium. Collard green has 134% more calcium than spinach - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and collard green has 232mg of calcium.
iron
Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 477% more iron than collard green - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and collard green has 0.47mg of iron.
potassium
Both spinach and collard greens are high in potassium. Spinach has 162% more potassium than collard green - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and collard green has 213mg 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 collard greens and spinach contain significant amounts of kaempferol and quercetin.
| Collard Greens | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.08 mg | 0.74 mg |
| kaempferol | 8.74 mg | 6.38 mg |
| Quercetin | 2.57 mg | 3.97 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.35 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, both collard greens and spinach contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Collard Greens | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2991 UG | 5626 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 14 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 4323 UG | 12198 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both collard greens and spinach contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Collard Greens | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.108 G | 0.138 G |
| Total | 0.108 G | 0.138 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, collard green has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.
| Collard Greens | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.082 G | 0.026 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.002 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.084 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 Collard Greens or Spinach .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Collard Greens (Collards, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) .
Collard Greens g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Spinach g
()
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does spinach or collard greens contain more calories in 100 grams?Spinach and collard greens contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and collard green has 32 calories.
Is spinach or collard greens better for protein?
Spinach and collard greens contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and collard green has 3g of protein.
Does spinach or collard greens have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach and collard greens contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and collard green has 5.4g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or collard greens contain more calcium?
Both spinach and collard greens are high in calcium. Collard green has 130% more calcium than spinach - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and collard green has 232mg of calcium.
Does spinach or collard greens contain more potassium?
Both spinach and collard greens are high in potassium. Spinach has 160% more potassium than collard green - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and collard green has 213mg of potassium.