Fennel vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Fennel and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
fennel
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in fennel and spinach:
- Both spinach and fennel are high in calcium, dietary fiber and potassium.
- Spinach has more thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, fennel contains more pantothenic acid.
- Spinach is a great source of iron.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Fennel (Fennel, bulb, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spinach and fennel contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and fennel has 31 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, fennel is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to spinach per calorie. Fennel has a macronutrient ratio of 14:81:6 and for spinach, 40:49:10 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Fennel | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 14% | 40% |
| Carbohydrates | 81% | 49% |
| Fat | 6% | 10% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Spinach and fennel contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and fennel has 7.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both spinach and fennel are high in dietary fiber. Fennel has 41% more dietary fiber than spinach - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and fennel has 3.1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach and fennel contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and fennel has 3.9g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spinach has 131% more protein than fennel - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and fennel has 1.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both spinach and fennel are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and fennel has 0.09g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 134% more Vitamin C than fennel - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and fennel has 12mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 877% more Vitamin A than fennel - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and fennel has 48ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Spinach has 250% more Vitamin E than fennel - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and fennel has 0.58mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 669% more Vitamin K than fennel - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and fennel has 62.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spinach has more thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, fennel contains more pantothenic acid. Both fennel and spinach contain significant amounts of niacin.
| Fennel | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.01 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.032 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 0.64 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.232 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.047 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 27 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both spinach and fennel are high in calcium. Spinach has 102% more calcium than fennel - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and fennel has 49mg of calcium.
iron
Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 271% more iron than fennel - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and fennel has 0.73mg of iron.
potassium
Both spinach and fennel are high in potassium. Spinach has 35% more potassium than fennel - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and fennel has 414mg 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,
| Fennel | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 0.23 mg | 3.97 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.74 mg |
| kaempferol | ~ | 6.38 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,
| Fennel | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 578 UG | 5626 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 607 UG | 12198 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, fennel has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.
| Fennel | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.169 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 0.169 G | 0.026 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.
Fennel g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Spinach 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 fennel contain more calories in 100 grams?Spinach and fennel contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and fennel has 31 calories.
Is spinach or fennel better for protein?
Spinach has 130% more protein than fennel - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and fennel has 1.2g of protein.
Does spinach or fennel have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach and fennel contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and fennel has 7.3g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or fennel contain more calcium?
Both spinach and fennel are high in calcium. Spinach has 100% more calcium than fennel - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and fennel has 49mg of calcium.
Does spinach or fennel contain more potassium?
Both spinach and fennel are high in potassium. Spinach has 40% more potassium than fennel - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and fennel has 414mg of potassium.