Spinach vs. Tomato
Nutrition comparison of Spinach and Tomato
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
spinach
versus
tomato
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in spinach and tomato:
- Both spinach and tomato are high in Vitamin C and potassium.
- Spinach has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than tomato, however, tomato contains more alpha-carotene and lycopene than spinach.
- Spinach has more thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and iron.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K and calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Spinach (Spinach, raw) and Tomato (Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spinach and tomato contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and tomato has 18 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, spinach is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and similar to tomato for fat. Spinach has a macronutrient ratio of 40:49:10 and for tomato, 17:75:9 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Spinach | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 40% | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 49% | 75% |
| Fat | 10% | 9% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both spinach and tomato are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and tomato has 3.9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 83% more dietary fiber than tomato - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and tomato has 1.2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach and tomato contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and tomato has 2.6g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spinach has 225% more protein than tomato - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and tomato has 0.88g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both spinach and tomato are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and tomato has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both spinach and tomato are high in Vitamin C. Spinach has 105% more Vitamin C than tomato - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and tomato has 13.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 10 times more Vitamin A than tomato - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and tomato has 42ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Spinach has 276% more Vitamin E than tomato - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and tomato has 0.54mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 60 times more Vitamin K than tomato - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and tomato has 7.9ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spinach has more thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both spinach and tomato contain significant amounts of niacin and pantothenic acid.
| Spinach | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.078 MG | 0.037 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.189 MG | 0.019 MG |
| Niacin | 0.724 MG | 0.594 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.065 MG | 0.089 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.195 MG | 0.08 MG |
| Folate | 194 UG | 15 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 890% more calcium than tomato - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and tomato has 10mg of calcium.
iron
Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 904% more iron than tomato - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and tomato has 0.27mg of iron.
potassium
Both spinach and tomato are high in potassium. Spinach has 135% more potassium than tomato - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and tomato has 237mg 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 | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.74 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 6.38 mg | 0.09 mg |
| myricetin | 0.35 mg | 0.13 mg |
| Quercetin | 3.97 mg | 0.58 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, spinach has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than tomato per 100 grams, however, tomato contains more alpha-carotene and lycopene than spinach per 100 grams.
| Spinach | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 5626 UG | 449 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 12198 UG | 123 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 101 UG |
| lycopene | ~ | 2573 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, spinach has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than tomato per 100 grams.
| Spinach | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.138 G | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.138 G | 0.003 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, tomato has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.
| Spinach | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.026 G | 0.08 G |
| Total | 0.026 G | 0.08 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.
Spinach g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Tomato g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does spinach or tomato contain more calories in 100 grams?Spinach and tomato contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and tomato has 18 calories.
Is spinach or tomato better for protein?
Spinach has 230% more protein than tomato - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and tomato has 0.88g of protein.
Does spinach or tomato have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both spinach and tomato are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and tomato has 3.9g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or tomato contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 890% more calcium than tomato - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and tomato has 10mg of calcium.
Does spinach or tomato contain more potassium?
Both spinach and tomato are high in potassium. Spinach has 140% more potassium than tomato - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and tomato has 237mg of potassium.