Red Bell Pepper vs. Spinach

Nutrition comparison of Red Bell Pepper and Spinach

Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of red bell pepper versus spinach (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in red bell pepper and spinach:

  • Both spinach and red bell pepper are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Spinach has more riboflavin and folate, however, red bell pepper contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Spinach is a great source of iron.
  • Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and calcium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of red bell pepper and spinach is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Red Bell Pepper (Peppers, sweet, red, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.

Image of Red Bell Pepper src
Image of Spinach src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Spinach and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 26 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, red bell pepper is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to spinach for fat. Red bell pepper has a macronutrient ratio of 13:78:9 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Red Bell Pepper Spinach
Protein 13% 39%
Carbohydrates 78% 49%
Fat 9% 12%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Spinach and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 6g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both spinach and red bell pepper are high in dietary fiber. Spinach has a little more dietary fiber (5%) than red bell pepper by weight - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 2.1g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Spinach and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 4.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spinach has 189% more protein than red bell pepper - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 0.99g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both spinach and red bell pepper are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 0.06g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Both spinach and red bell pepper are high in Vitamin C. Red bell pepper has 354% more Vitamin C than spinach - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 127.7mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Both spinach and red bell pepper are high in Vitamin A. Spinach has 199% more Vitamin A than red bell pepper - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 157ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Spinach and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 1.6mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 97 times more Vitamin K than red bell pepper - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 4.9ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Spinach has more riboflavin and folate, however, red bell pepper contains more pantothenic acid. Both red bell pepper and spinach contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin and Vitamin B6.

Red Bell Pepper Spinach
Thiamin 0.054 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.085 MG 0.189 MG
Niacin 0.979 MG 0.724 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.317 MG 0.065 MG
Vitamin B6 0.291 MG 0.195 MG
Folate 46 UG 194 UG

Minerals

calcium

Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 13 times more calcium than red bell pepper - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 7mg of calcium.

iron

Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 530% more iron than red bell pepper - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 0.43mg of iron.

potassium

Both spinach and red bell pepper are high in potassium. Spinach has 164% more potassium than red bell pepper - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 211mg 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, both red bell pepper and spinach contain significant amounts of luteolin.

Red Bell Pepper Spinach
luteolin 0.61 mg 0.74 mg
kaempferol 0.02 mg 6.38 mg
Quercetin 0.23 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,

Red Bell Pepper Spinach
beta-carotene 1624 UG 5626 UG
alpha-carotene 20 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 51 UG 12198 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, spinach has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than red bell pepper per 100 grams.

Red Bell Pepper Spinach
alpha linoleic acid 0.056 G 0.138 G
Total 0.056 G 0.138 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, red bell pepper has more linoleic acid than spinach per 100 grams.

Red Bell Pepper Spinach
linoleic acid 0.1 G 0.026 G
Total 0.1 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 Red Bell Pepper or Spinach .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Red Bell Pepper (Peppers, sweet, red, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) .

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FAQ

Does spinach or red bell pepper contain more calories in 100 grams?
Spinach and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and red bell pepper has 26 calories.

Is spinach or red bell pepper better for protein?
Spinach has 190% more protein than red bell pepper - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 0.99g of protein.

Does spinach or red bell pepper have more carbohydrates?
By weight, spinach and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of carbs - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and red bell pepper has 6g of carbohydrates.

Does spinach or red bell pepper contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 13 times more calcium than red bell pepper - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and red bell pepper has 7mg of calcium.

Does spinach or red bell pepper contain more potassium?
Both spinach and red bell pepper are high in potassium. Spinach has 160% more potassium than red bell pepper - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and red bell pepper has 211mg of potassium.