Cauliflower vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Cauliflower and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cauliflower
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cauliflower and spinach:
- Both spinach and cauliflower are high in Vitamin C and potassium.
- Spinach has more riboflavin and folate, however, cauliflower contains more pantothenic acid.
- Spinach is a great source of iron.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K and calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cauliflower (Cauliflower, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spinach and cauliflower contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and cauliflower has 25 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cauliflower is lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and similar to spinach for fat. Cauliflower has a macronutrient ratio of 25:66:9 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cauliflower | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 25% | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 66% | 49% |
| Fat | 9% | 12% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both spinach and cauliflower are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and cauliflower has 5g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Spinach and cauliflower contain similar amounts of dietary fiber - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cauliflower has 2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach and cauliflower contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and cauliflower has 1.9g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spinach and cauliflower contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and cauliflower has 1.9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both spinach and cauliflower are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cauliflower has 0.13g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both spinach and cauliflower are high in Vitamin C. Cauliflower has 72% more Vitamin C than spinach - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cauliflower has 48.2mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than cauliflower - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cauliflower does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Spinach has 24 times more Vitamin E than cauliflower - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cauliflower has 0.08mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 30 times more Vitamin K than cauliflower - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cauliflower has 15.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spinach has more riboflavin and folate, however, cauliflower contains more pantothenic acid. Both cauliflower and spinach contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin and Vitamin B6.
| Cauliflower | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.05 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.06 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 0.507 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.667 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.184 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 57 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 350% more calcium than cauliflower - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and cauliflower has 22mg of calcium.
iron
Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 545% more iron than cauliflower - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and cauliflower has 0.42mg of iron.
potassium
Both spinach and cauliflower are high in potassium. Spinach has 87% more potassium than cauliflower - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and cauliflower has 299mg 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,
| Cauliflower | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.03 mg | ~ |
| luteolin | 0.09 mg | 0.74 mg |
| kaempferol | 0.36 mg | 6.38 mg |
| Quercetin | 0.54 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,
| Cauliflower | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1 UG | 12198 UG |
| beta-carotene | ~ | 5626 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, spinach has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than cauliflower per 100 grams.
| Cauliflower | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.015 G | 0.138 G |
| Total | 0.015 G | 0.138 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cauliflower and spinach contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Cauliflower | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.003 G | ~ |
| linoleic acid | 0.016 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 0.019 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 Cauliflower or Spinach .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Cauliflower (Cauliflower, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) .
Cauliflower g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Spinach g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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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 cauliflower contain more calories in 100 grams?Spinach and cauliflower contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and cauliflower has 25 calories.
Is spinach or cauliflower better for protein?
Spinach and cauliflower contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and cauliflower has 1.9g of protein.
Does spinach or cauliflower have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both spinach and cauliflower are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and cauliflower has 5g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or cauliflower contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 350% more calcium than cauliflower - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and cauliflower has 22mg of calcium.
Does spinach or cauliflower contain more potassium?
Both spinach and cauliflower are high in potassium. Spinach has 90% more potassium than cauliflower - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and cauliflower has 299mg of potassium.