Kimchi vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Kimchi and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
kimchi
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kimchi and spinach:
- Both spinach and kimchi are high in iron.
- Spinach has more thiamin, pantothenic acid and folate.
- Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Kimchi (Cabbage, kimchi) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spinach and kimchi contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and kimchi has 15 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, kimchi is lighter in protein, heavier in fat and similar to spinach for carbs. Kimchi has a macronutrient ratio of 24:52:24 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Kimchi | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 24% | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 52% | 49% |
| Fat | 24% | 12% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both spinach and kimchi are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and kimchi has 2.4g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 38% more dietary fiber than kimchi - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach and kimchi contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.1g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spinach has 160% more protein than kimchi - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both spinach and kimchi are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and kimchi has 0.07g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has more Vitamin C than kimchi - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and kimchi does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 92 times more Vitamin A than kimchi - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and kimchi has 5ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Spinach has 17 times more Vitamin E than kimchi - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and kimchi has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 10 times more Vitamin K than kimchi - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and kimchi has 43.6ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spinach has more thiamin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both kimchi and spinach contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B6.
| Kimchi | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.01 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.21 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 1.1 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.213 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 200% more calcium than kimchi - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and kimchi has 33mg of calcium.
iron
Both spinach and kimchi are high in iron. Spinach has a little more iron (8%) than kimchi by weight - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and kimchi has 2.5mg of iron.
potassium
Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 270% more potassium than kimchi - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and kimchi has 151mg 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,
| Kimchi | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 55 UG | 5626 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 1 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 49 UG | 12198 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both kimchi and spinach contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Kimchi | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.137 G | 0.138 G |
| Total | 0.137 G | 0.138 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kimchi has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.
| Kimchi | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.104 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 0.104 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 Kimchi or Spinach .
Kimchi 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 % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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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 % |
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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 kimchi contain more calories in 100 grams?Spinach and kimchi contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and kimchi has 15 calories.
Is spinach or kimchi better for protein?
Spinach has 160% more protein than kimchi - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.1g of protein.
Does spinach or kimchi have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both spinach and kimchi are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and kimchi has 2.4g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or kimchi contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 200% more calcium than kimchi - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and kimchi has 33mg of calcium.
Does spinach or kimchi contain more iron?
Both spinach and kimchi are high in iron. Spinach has a little more iron ( 10%) than kimchi by weight - spinach has 2.7mg of iron in 100 grams and kimchi has 2.5mg of iron.
Does spinach or kimchi contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 270% more potassium than kimchi - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and kimchi has 151mg of potassium.