Watermelon vs. Spinach

Nutrition comparison of Watermelon and Spinach


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

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

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

  • Spinach has 13.7 times less sugar than watermelon.
  • Spinach has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than watermelon, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than spinach.
  • Spinach has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, watermelon contains more pantothenic acid.
  • 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 watermelon 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: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Watermelon src
Image of Spinach src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Watermelon and spinach contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories per 100 grams and spinach has 23 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, watermelon is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to spinach per calorie. Watermelon has a macronutrient ratio of 7:88:5 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Watermelon Spinach
Protein 7% 39%
Carbohydrates 88% 49%
Fat 5% 12%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Watermelon and spinach contain similar amounts of carbs - watermelon has 7.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and spinach has 3.6g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 450% more dietary fiber than watermelon - watermelon has 0.4g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Spinach has 13.7 times less sugar than watermelon - watermelon has 6.2g of sugar per 100 grams and spinach has 0.42g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spinach has 369% more protein than watermelon - watermelon has 0.61g of protein per 100 grams and spinach has 2.9g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both watermelon and spinach are low in saturated fat - watermelon has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 247% more Vitamin C than watermelon - watermelon has 8.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 15 times more Vitamin A than watermelon - watermelon has 28ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Spinach has 39 times more Vitamin E than watermelon - watermelon has 0.05mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 4828 times more Vitamin K than watermelon - watermelon has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Spinach has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, watermelon contains more pantothenic acid.

Watermelon Spinach
Thiamin 0.033 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.021 MG 0.189 MG
Niacin 0.178 MG 0.724 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.221 MG 0.065 MG
Vitamin B6 0.045 MG 0.195 MG
Folate 3 UG 194 UG

Minerals

calcium

Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 13 times more calcium than watermelon - watermelon has 7mg of calcium per 100 grams and spinach has 99mg of calcium.

iron

Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 10 times more iron than watermelon - watermelon has 0.24mg of iron per 100 grams and spinach has 2.7mg of iron.

potassium

Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 398% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium per 100 grams and spinach has 558mg 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 watermelon and spinach contain significant amounts of luteolin.

Watermelon Spinach
luteolin 0.46 mg 0.74 mg
kaempferol 0.45 mg 6.38 mg
myricetin ~ 0.35 mg
Quercetin ~ 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, spinach has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than watermelon per 100 grams, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than spinach per 100 grams.

Watermelon Spinach
beta-carotene 303 UG 5626 UG
lycopene 4532 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 8 UG 12198 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 6s

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

Watermelon Spinach
linoleic acid 0.05 G 0.026 G
Total 0.05 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 Watermelon or Spinach .

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

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FAQ

Does watermelon or spinach contain more calories in 100 grams?
Watermelon and spinach contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories in 100g and spinach has 23 calories.

Is watermelon or spinach better for protein?
Spinach has 370% more protein than watermelon - watermelon has 0.61g of protein per 100 grams and spinach has 2.9g of protein.

Does watermelon or spinach have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watermelon and spinach contain similar amounts of carbs - watermelon has 7.6g of carbs for 100g and spinach has 3.6g of carbohydrates.

Does watermelon or spinach contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 13 times more calcium than watermelon - watermelon has 7mg of calcium in 100 grams and spinach has 99mg of calcium.

Does watermelon or spinach contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 400% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium in 100 grams and spinach has 558mg of potassium.