Edamame vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Edamame and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
edamame
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in edamame and spinach:
- Both edamame and spinach are high in calcium, dietary fiber, iron and potassium.
- Edamame has more thiamin and pantothenic acid.
- Edamame is a great source of protein.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Edamame (Edamame, frozen, prepared) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Edamame is high in calories and spinach has 81% less calories than edamame - edamame has 121 calories per 100 grams and spinach has 23 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, edamame is much lighter in carbs, much heavier in fat and similar to spinach for protein. Edamame has a macronutrient ratio of 37:27:36 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Edamame | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 37% | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 27% | 49% |
| Fat | 36% | 12% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Edamame and spinach contain similar amounts of carbs - edamame has 8.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and spinach has 3.6g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both edamame and spinach are high in dietary fiber. Edamame has 136% more dietary fiber than spinach - edamame has 5.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Edamame and spinach contain similar amounts of sugar - edamame has 2.2g of sugar per 100 grams and spinach has 0.42g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Edamame is a great source of protein and it has 316% more protein than spinach - edamame has 11.9g of protein per 100 grams and spinach has 2.9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both edamame and spinach are low in saturated fat - edamame has 0.62g of saturated fat per 100 grams and spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both edamame and spinach are low in trans fat - edamame has 0.01g of trans fat per 100 grams and spinach does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 361% more Vitamin C than edamame - edamame has 6.1mg 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 30 times more Vitamin A than edamame - edamame has 15ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Edamame and spinach contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - edamame has 0.68mg 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 17 times more Vitamin K than edamame - edamame has 26.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Edamame has more thiamin and pantothenic acid. Both edamame and spinach contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Edamame | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.2 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.155 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 0.915 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.395 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 311 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both edamame and spinach are high in calcium. Spinach has 57% more calcium than edamame - edamame has 63mg of calcium per 100 grams and spinach has 99mg of calcium.
iron
Both edamame and spinach are high in iron. Spinach has 19% more iron than edamame - edamame has 2.3mg of iron per 100 grams and spinach has 2.7mg of iron.
potassium
Both edamame and spinach are high in potassium. Spinach has 28% more potassium than edamame - edamame has 436mg of potassium per 100 grams and spinach has 558mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
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,
| Edamame | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 175 UG | 5626 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1619 UG | 12198 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, edamame has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than spinach per 100 grams.
| Edamame | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.358 G | 0.138 G |
| EPA | 0.003 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.361 G | 0.138 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, edamame has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.
| Edamame | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.002 G | ~ |
| linoleic acid | 1.792 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 1.794 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 Edamame or Spinach .
Edamame g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Spinach g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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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 % |
|
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% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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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 % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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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 edamame or spinach contain more calories in 100 grams?Edamame is high in calories and spinach has 80% less calories than edamame - edamame has 121 calories in 100g and spinach has 23 calories.
Is edamame or spinach better for protein?
Edamame is a great source of protein and it has 320% more protein than spinach - edamame has 11.9g of protein per 100 grams and spinach has 2.9g of protein.
Does edamame or spinach have more carbohydrates?
By weight, edamame and spinach contain similar amounts of carbs - edamame has 8.9g of carbs for 100g and spinach has 3.6g of carbohydrates.
Does edamame or spinach contain more calcium?
Both edamame and spinach are high in calcium. Spinach has 60% more calcium than edamame - edamame has 63mg of calcium in 100 grams and spinach has 99mg of calcium.
Does edamame or spinach contain more iron?
Both edamame and spinach are high in iron. Spinach has 20% more iron than edamame - edamame has 2.3mg of iron in 100 grams and spinach has 2.7mg of iron.
Does edamame or spinach contain more potassium?
Both edamame and spinach are high in potassium. Spinach has 30% more potassium than edamame - edamame has 436mg of potassium in 100 grams and spinach has 558mg of potassium.