Bok Choy vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Bok Choy and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
bok choy
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in bok choy and spinach:
- Both spinach and bok choy are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium and potassium.
- Spinach has more riboflavin and folate.
- Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and iron.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Bok Choy (Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spinach and bok choy contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and bok choy has 13 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, bok choy is heavier in carbs and similar to spinach for protein and fat. Bok choy has a macronutrient ratio of 36:53:11 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Bok Choy | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 36% | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 53% | 49% |
| Fat | 11% | 12% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both spinach and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 120% more dietary fiber than bok choy - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and bok choy has 1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach and bok choy contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spinach and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both spinach and bok choy are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both spinach and bok choy are high in Vitamin C. Bok choy has 60% more Vitamin C than spinach - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and bok choy has 45mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both spinach and bok choy are high in Vitamin A. Spinach has 110% more Vitamin A than bok choy - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and bok choy has 223ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Spinach has 21 times more Vitamin E than bok choy - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.09mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 961% more Vitamin K than bok choy - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and bok choy has 45.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spinach has more riboflavin and folate. Both bok choy and spinach contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Bok Choy | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.04 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.07 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 0.5 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.088 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.194 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 66 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both spinach and bok choy are high in calcium. Spinach is very similar to spinach for calcium - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.
iron
Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 239% more iron than bok choy - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.8mg of iron.
potassium
Both spinach and bok choy are high in potassium. Spinach has 121% more potassium than bok choy - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg 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, bok choy has more apigenin than spinach per 100 grams, however, spinach contains more luteolin and myricetin than bok choy per 100 grams. Both bok choy and spinach contain significant amounts of kaempferol and quercetin.
| Bok Choy | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.24 mg | ~ |
| luteolin | 0.09 mg | 0.74 mg |
| kaempferol | 4.33 mg | 6.38 mg |
| myricetin | 0.03 mg | 0.35 mg |
| Quercetin | 2.06 mg | 3.97 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,
| Bok Choy | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2681 UG | 5626 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 1 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 40 UG | 12198 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, spinach has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than bok choy per 100 grams.
| Bok Choy | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.055 G | 0.138 G |
| Total | 0.055 G | 0.138 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both bok choy and spinach contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Bok Choy | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.042 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 0.042 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 Bok Choy or Spinach .
Bok Choy g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Spinach g
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5% | calories | 5% |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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| 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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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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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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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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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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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 bok choy contain more calories in 100 grams?Spinach and bok choy contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and bok choy has 13 calories.
Is spinach or bok choy better for protein?
Spinach and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.
Does spinach or bok choy have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both spinach and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or bok choy contain more calcium?
Both spinach and bok choy are high in calcium. Spinach is very similar to spinach for calcium - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.
Does spinach or bok choy contain more potassium?
Both spinach and bok choy are high in potassium. Spinach has 120% more potassium than bok choy - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg of potassium.