Leeks vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Leeks and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
leeks
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in leeks and spinach:
- Both spinach and leeks are high in calcium and iron.
- Spinach has 62% less calories than leek.
- Spinach has 74% less carbohydrates than leek.
- Spinach has more riboflavin and folate, however, leek contains more pantothenic acid.
- Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spinach has 62% less calories than leek - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and leek has 61 calories.
| Leeks | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 9% | 40% |
| Carbohydrates | 86% | 49% |
| Fat | 5% | 10% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Spinach has 74% less carbohydrates than leek - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and leek has 14.2g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 22% more dietary fiber than leek - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach and leeks contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and leek has 3.9g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spinach and leeks contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and leek has 1.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both spinach and leeks are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and leek has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 134% more Vitamin C than leek - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and leek has 12mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 465% more Vitamin A than leek - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and leek has 83ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Spinach and leeks contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 927% more Vitamin K than leek - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and leek has 47ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spinach has more riboflavin and folate, however, leek contains more pantothenic acid. Both leeks and spinach contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin and Vitamin B6.
| Leeks | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.06 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.03 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 0.4 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.14 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.233 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 64 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both spinach and leeks are high in calcium. Spinach has 68% more calcium than leek - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and leek has 59mg of calcium.
iron
Both spinach and leeks are high in iron. Spinach has 29% more iron than leek - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and leek has 2.1mg of iron.
potassium
Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 210% more potassium than leek - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and leek has 180mg 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 leeks and spinach contain significant amounts of myricetin.
| Leeks | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| kaempferol | 2.67 mg | 6.38 mg |
| myricetin | 0.22 mg | 0.35 mg |
| Quercetin | 0.09 mg | 3.97 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.74 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,
| Leeks | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 1000 UG | 5626 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1900 UG | 12198 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both leeks and spinach contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Leeks | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.099 G | 0.138 G |
| Total | 0.099 G | 0.138 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, leek has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.
| Leeks | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.067 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 0.067 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.
Leeks 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 leeks contain more calories in 100 grams?Spinach has 60% less calories than leek - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and leek has 61 calories.
Is spinach or leeks better for protein?
Spinach and leeks contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and leek has 1.5g of protein.
Does spinach or leeks have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach has 70% fewer carbohydrates than leek - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and leek has 14.2g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or leeks contain more calcium?
Both spinach and leeks are high in calcium. Spinach has 70% more calcium than leek - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and leek has 59mg of calcium.
Does spinach or leeks contain more iron?
Both spinach and leeks are high in iron. Spinach has 30% more iron than leek - spinach has 2.7mg of iron in 100 grams and leek has 2.1mg of iron.
Does spinach or leeks contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 210% more potassium than leek - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and leek has 180mg of potassium.