Flaxseeds vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Flaxseeds and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
flaxseeds
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in flaxseeds and spinach:
- Both spinach and flaxseeds are high in calcium, dietary fiber, iron and potassium.
- Flaxseed has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, spinach contains more folate.
- Flaxseed is an excellent source of protein.
- Spinach has signficantly less carbohydrates than flaxseed.
- Spinach has signficantly less saturated fat than flaxseed.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Flaxseed is high in calories and spinach has 96% less calories than flaxseed - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and flaxseed has 534 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, flaxseeds is much lighter in protein, much lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to spinach per calorie. Flaxseeds has a macronutrient ratio of 13:20:67 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Flaxseeds | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 13% | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 20% | 49% |
| Fat | 67% | 12% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Spinach has signficantly less carbohydrates than flaxseed - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and flaxseed has 28.9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both spinach and flaxseeds are high in dietary fiber. Flaxseed has 11 times more dietary fiber than spinach - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and flaxseed has 27.3g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach and flaxseeds contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and flaxseed has 1.6g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Flaxseed is an excellent source of protein and it has 540% more protein than spinach - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and flaxseed has 18.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Spinach has signficantly less saturated fat than flaxseed - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and flaxseed has 3.7g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 45 times more Vitamin C than flaxseed - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and flaxseed has 0.6mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than flaxseed - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and flaxseed does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Spinach has 555% more Vitamin E than flaxseed - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and flaxseed has 0.31mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 111 times more Vitamin K than flaxseed - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and flaxseed has 4.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Flaxseed has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, spinach contains more folate. Both flaxseeds and spinach contain significant amounts of riboflavin.
| Flaxseeds | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 1.644 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.161 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 3.08 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.985 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.473 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 87 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both spinach and flaxseeds are high in calcium. Flaxseed has 158% more calcium than spinach - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and flaxseed has 255mg of calcium.
iron
Both spinach and flaxseeds are high in iron. Flaxseed has 111% more iron than spinach - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron.
potassium
Both spinach and flaxseeds are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 46% more potassium than spinach - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and flaxseed has 813mg 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,
| Flaxseeds | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 651 UG | 12198 UG |
| beta-carotene | ~ | 5626 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than spinach per 100 grams.
| Flaxseeds | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 22.813 G | 0.138 G |
| Total | 22.813 G | 0.138 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, flaxseed has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.
| Flaxseeds | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.007 G | ~ |
| linoleic acid | 5.903 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 5.91 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 Flaxseeds or Spinach .
Flaxseeds g
()
|
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 % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
| MG % |
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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 % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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| UG % |
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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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MG % | |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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UG % | |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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MG % | |
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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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UG % | |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does spinach or flaxseeds contain more calories in 100 grams?Flaxseed is high in calories and spinach has 100% less calories than flaxseed - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and flaxseed has 534 calories.
Is spinach or flaxseeds better for protein?
Flaxseed is a fantastic source of protein and it has 540% more protein than spinach - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and flaxseed has 18.3g of protein.
Does spinach or flaxseeds have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach has signficantly fewer carbohydrates than flaxseed - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and flaxseed has 28.9g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or flaxseeds contain more calcium?
Both spinach and flaxseeds are high in calcium. Flaxseed has 160% more calcium than spinach - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and flaxseed has 255mg of calcium.
Does spinach or flaxseeds contain more iron?
Both spinach and flaxseeds are high in iron. Flaxseed has 110% more iron than spinach - spinach has 2.7mg of iron in 100 grams and flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron.
Does spinach or flaxseeds contain more potassium?
Both spinach and flaxseeds are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 50% more potassium than spinach - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and flaxseed has 813mg of potassium.