Onion vs. Spinach

Nutrition comparison of Onion and Spinach


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

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

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

  • Spinach has more riboflavin, niacin and folate.
  • Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and iron.
  • Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of onion 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: Onion (Onions, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Onion src
Image of Spinach src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Spinach and onion contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and onion has 40 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, onion is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to spinach per calorie. Onion has a macronutrient ratio of 10:88:2 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Onion Spinach
Protein 10% 39%
Carbohydrates 88% 49%
Fat 2% 12%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Spinach and onion contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and onion has 9.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 29% more dietary fiber than onion - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and onion has 1.7g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Spinach and onion contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and onion has 4.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spinach has 160% more protein than onion - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and onion has 1.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

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

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 280% more Vitamin C than onion - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and onion has 7.4mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

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

Vitamin E

Spinach has 100 times more Vitamin E than onion - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and onion has 0.02mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 1206 times more Vitamin K than onion - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and onion has 0.4ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Onion Spinach
Thiamin 0.046 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.027 MG 0.189 MG
Niacin 0.116 MG 0.724 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.123 MG 0.065 MG
Vitamin B6 0.12 MG 0.195 MG
Folate 19 UG 194 UG

Minerals

calcium

Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 330% more calcium than onion - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and onion has 23mg of calcium.

iron

Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 11 times more iron than onion - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and onion has 0.21mg of iron.

potassium

Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 282% more potassium than onion - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and onion has 146mg 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, spinach has more luteolin, kaempferol and myricetin than onion per 100 grams, however, onion contains more isorhamnetin and quercetin than spinach per 100 grams.

Onion Spinach
apigenin 0.01 mg ~
luteolin 0.02 mg 0.74 mg
isorhamnetin 5.01 mg ~
kaempferol 0.65 mg 6.38 mg
myricetin 0.03 mg 0.35 mg
Quercetin 20.3 mg 3.97 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,

Onion Spinach
beta-carotene 1 UG 5626 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 4 UG 12198 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, spinach has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than onion per 100 grams.

Onion Spinach
alpha linoleic acid 0.004 G 0.138 G
Total 0.004 G 0.138 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both onion and spinach contain small amounts of linoleic acid.

Onion Spinach
linoleic acid 0.013 G 0.026 G
Total 0.013 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 Onion or Spinach .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Onion (Onions, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) .

Onion g

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FAQ

Does spinach or onion contain more calories in 100 grams?
Spinach and onion contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and onion has 40 calories.

Is spinach or onion better for protein?
Spinach has 160% more protein than onion - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and onion has 1.1g of protein.

Does spinach or onion have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach and onion contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and onion has 9.3g of carbohydrates.

Does spinach or onion contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 330% more calcium than onion - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and onion has 23mg of calcium.

Does spinach or onion contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 280% more potassium than onion - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and onion has 146mg of potassium.

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