Parmesan Cheese vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Parmesan Cheese and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
parmesan cheese
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in parmesan cheese and spinach:
- Both spinach and parmesan cheese are high in Vitamin A and calcium.
- Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of protein.
- Spinach has more niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, parmesan cheese contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B12.
- Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and iron.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Parmesan Cheese (Cheese, parmesan, hard) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Parmesan cheese is high in calories and spinach has 94% less calories than parmesan cheese - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 392 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, parmesan cheese is much lighter in carbs, much heavier in fat and similar to spinach for protein. Parmesan cheese has a macronutrient ratio of 38:3:59 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Parmesan Cheese | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 38% | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 3% | 49% |
| Fat | 59% | 12% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both spinach and parmesan cheese are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 3.2g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than parmesan cheese - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and parmesan cheese does not contain significant amounts.
sugar
Spinach and parmesan cheese contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 0.11g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Parmesan cheese is an excellent source of protein and it has 11 times more protein than spinach - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 35.8g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Parmesan cheese is high in saturated fat and spinach has 100% less saturated fat than parmesan cheese - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 14.9g of saturated fat.
cholesterol
Spinach has less cholesterol than parmesan cheese - parmesan cheese has 68mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and spinach does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has more Vitamin C than parmesan cheese - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and parmesan cheese does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Both spinach and parmesan cheese are high in Vitamin A. Spinach has 127% more Vitamin A than parmesan cheese - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 207ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin D
Parmesan cheese has more Vitamin D than spinach - parmesan cheese has 19iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and spinach does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Spinach has 823% more Vitamin E than parmesan cheese - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 0.22mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 283 times more Vitamin K than parmesan cheese - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 1.7ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spinach has more niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, parmesan cheese contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B12. Both parmesan cheese and spinach contain significant amounts of thiamin and riboflavin.
| Parmesan Cheese | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.039 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.332 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 0.271 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.453 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 7 UG | 194 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.2 UG | ~ |
Minerals
calcium
Both spinach and parmesan cheese are high in calcium. Parmesan cheese has 10 times more calcium than spinach - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 1184mg of calcium.
iron
Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 230% more iron than parmesan cheese - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 0.82mg of iron.
potassium
Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 507% more potassium than parmesan cheese - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 92mg 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,
| Parmesan Cheese | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 66 UG | 5626 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 12198 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, parmesan cheese has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than spinach per 100 grams.
| Parmesan Cheese | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.297 G | 0.138 G |
| Total | 0.297 G | 0.138 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, parmesan cheese has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.
| Parmesan Cheese | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.272 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 0.272 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 Parmesan Cheese or Spinach .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Parmesan Cheese (Cheese, parmesan, hard) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) .
Parmesan Cheese g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Spinach g
()
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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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% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does spinach or parmesan cheese contain more calories in 100 grams?Parmesan cheese is high in calories and spinach has 90% less calories than parmesan cheese - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and parmesan cheese has 392 calories.
Is spinach or parmesan cheese better for protein?
Parmesan cheese is a fantastic source of protein and it has 11 times more protein than spinach - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 35.8g of protein.
Does spinach or parmesan cheese have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both spinach and parmesan cheese are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and parmesan cheese has 3.2g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or parmesan cheese contain more calcium?
Both spinach and parmesan cheese are high in calcium. Parmesan cheese has 10 times more calcium than spinach - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 1184mg of calcium.
Does spinach or parmesan cheese contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 510% more potassium than parmesan cheese - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and parmesan cheese has 92mg of potassium.