Papaya vs. Spinach
Nutrition comparison of Papaya and Spinach
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
papaya
versus
spinach
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in papaya and spinach:
- Both spinach and papaya are high in Vitamin C.
- Spinach has 17.6 times less sugar than papaya.
- Spinach has 66% less carbohydrates than papaya.
- Spinach has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than papaya, however, papaya contains more lycopene than spinach.
- Spinach has more thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, papaya contains more pantothenic acid.
- Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and iron.
- Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Papaya (Papayas, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spinach and papaya contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and papaya has 43 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, papaya is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to spinach per calorie. Papaya has a macronutrient ratio of 4:90:6 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Papaya | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 4% | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 90% | 49% |
| Fat | 6% | 12% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Spinach has 66% less carbohydrates than papaya - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and papaya has 10.8g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 29% more dietary fiber than papaya - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and papaya has 1.7g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spinach has 17.6 times less sugar than papaya - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and papaya has 7.8g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spinach has 509% more protein than papaya - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and papaya has 0.47g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both spinach and papaya are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and papaya has 0.08g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both spinach and papaya are high in Vitamin C. Papaya has 117% more Vitamin C than spinach - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and papaya has 60.9mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 898% more Vitamin A than papaya - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and papaya has 47ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Spinach has 577% more Vitamin E than papaya - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and papaya has 0.3mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 184 times more Vitamin K than papaya - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and papaya has 2.6ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spinach has more thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, papaya contains more pantothenic acid. Both papaya and spinach contain significant amounts of niacin.
| Papaya | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.023 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.027 MG | 0.189 MG |
| Niacin | 0.357 MG | 0.724 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.191 MG | 0.065 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.038 MG | 0.195 MG |
| Folate | 37 UG | 194 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 395% more calcium than papaya - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and papaya has 20mg of calcium.
iron
Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 984% more iron than papaya - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and papaya has 0.25mg of iron.
potassium
Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 207% more potassium than papaya - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and papaya has 182mg 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,
| Papaya | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.01 mg | ~ |
| luteolin | 0.02 mg | 0.74 mg |
| kaempferol | 0.01 mg | 6.38 mg |
| myricetin | 0.02 mg | 0.35 mg |
| Quercetin | ~ | 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, spinach has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than papaya per 100 grams, however, papaya contains more lycopene than spinach per 100 grams.
| Papaya | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 274 UG | 5626 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 2 UG | ~ |
| lycopene | 1828 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 89 UG | 12198 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, spinach has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than papaya per 100 grams.
| Papaya | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.047 G | 0.138 G |
| Total | 0.047 G | 0.138 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both papaya and spinach contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Papaya | Spinach | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.011 G | 0.026 G |
| Total | 0.011 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 Papaya or Spinach .
Papaya 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 % | |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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| 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% |
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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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MG % | |
| 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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MG % | |
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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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MG % | |
| 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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| G % |
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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 papaya contain more calories in 100 grams?Spinach and papaya contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and papaya has 43 calories.
Is spinach or papaya better for protein?
Spinach has 510% more protein than papaya - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and papaya has 0.47g of protein.
Does spinach or papaya have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach has 70% fewer carbohydrates than papaya - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and papaya has 10.8g of carbohydrates.
Does spinach or papaya contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 400% more calcium than papaya - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and papaya has 20mg of calcium.
Does spinach or papaya contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 210% more potassium than papaya - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and papaya has 182mg of potassium.