Cabbage vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Cabbage and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cabbage
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cabbage and spinach:
- Both spinach and cabbage are high in Vitamin C and dietary fiber.
- Spinach has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than cabbage, however, cabbage contains more alpha-carotene than spinach.
- Spinach has more riboflavin, niacin and folate, however, cabbage contains more pantothenic acid.
- Spinach is a great source of iron.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cabbage (Cabbage, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spinach and cabbage contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and cabbage has 25 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cabbage is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to spinach for fat. Cabbage has a macronutrient ratio of 18:82:0 and for spinach, 43:57:0 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cabbage | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 18% | 43% |
| Carbohydrates | 82% | 57% |
| Fat | ~ | ~ |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Spinach and cabbage contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and cabbage has 5.8g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both spinach and cabbage are high in dietary fiber. Spinach is very similar to spinach for dietary fiber - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cabbage has 2.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach and cabbage contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and cabbage has 3.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spinach and cabbage contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and cabbage has 1.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both spinach and cabbage are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cabbage has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both spinach and cabbage are high in Vitamin C. Cabbage has 30% more Vitamin C than spinach - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cabbage has 36.6mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 92 times more Vitamin A than cabbage - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cabbage has 5ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Spinach has 12 times more Vitamin E than cabbage - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cabbage has 0.15mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 535% more Vitamin K than cabbage - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cabbage has 76ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spinach has more riboflavin, niacin and folate, however, cabbage contains more pantothenic acid. Both cabbage and spinach contain significant amounts of thiamin and Vitamin B6.
| Cabbage | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.061 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.04 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 0.234 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.212 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.124 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 43 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 148% more calcium than cabbage - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and cabbage has 40mg of calcium.
iron
Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 477% more iron than cabbage - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and cabbage has 0.47mg of iron.
potassium
Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 228% more potassium than cabbage - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and cabbage has 170mg 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,
| Cabbage | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.08 mg | ~ |
| luteolin | 0.1 mg | 0.74 mg |
| kaempferol | 0.18 mg | 6.38 mg |
| Quercetin | 0.28 mg | 3.97 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, spinach has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than cabbage per 100 grams, however, cabbage contains more alpha-carotene than spinach per 100 grams.
| Cabbage | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 42 UG | 5626 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 33 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 30 UG | 12198 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cabbage and spinach contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Cabbage | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.017 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 0.017 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.
Cabbage 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 cabbage contain more calories in 100 grams?Spinach and cabbage contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and cabbage has 25 calories.
Is spinach or cabbage better for protein?
Spinach and cabbage contain similar amounts of protein - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and cabbage has 1.3g of protein.
Does spinach or cabbage have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach and cabbage contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and cabbage has 5.8g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or cabbage contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 150% more calcium than cabbage - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and cabbage has 40mg of calcium.
Does spinach or cabbage contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 230% more potassium than cabbage - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and cabbage has 170mg of potassium.