Romaine Lettuce vs. Spinach

Nutrition comparison of Romaine Lettuce and Spinach


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

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

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in romaine lettuce and spinach:

  • Both spinach and romaine lettuce are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin K, dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Spinach has more riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B6, however, romaine lettuce contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Spinach is a great source of iron.
  • Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and calcium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of romaine lettuce 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: Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Romaine Lettuce src
Image of Spinach src

Here's an infographic summarizing the nutritional differences between romaine lettuce and spinach. marks particularly rich nutrients.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Spinach and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 17 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, romaine lettuce is lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and similar to spinach for fat. Romaine lettuce has a macronutrient ratio of 23:64:13 and for spinach, 39:49:12 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Romaine Lettuce Spinach
Protein 23% 39%
Carbohydrates 64% 49%
Fat 13% 12%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both spinach and romaine lettuce are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 3.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

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

sugar

Spinach and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 1.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spinach has 133% more protein than romaine lettuce - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 1.2g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both spinach and romaine lettuce are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.04g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 603% more Vitamin C than romaine lettuce - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 4mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Both spinach and romaine lettuce are high in Vitamin A. Spinach has a little more Vitamin A (8%) than romaine lettuce by weight - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 436ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Spinach has 14 times more Vitamin E than romaine lettuce - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.13mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Both spinach and romaine lettuce are high in Vitamin K. Spinach has 371% more Vitamin K than romaine lettuce - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 102.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Romaine Lettuce Spinach
Thiamin 0.072 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.067 MG 0.189 MG
Niacin 0.313 MG 0.724 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.142 MG 0.065 MG
Vitamin B6 0.074 MG 0.195 MG
Folate 136 UG 194 UG

Minerals

calcium

Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 200% more calcium than romaine lettuce - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 33mg of calcium.

iron

Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 179% more iron than romaine lettuce - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.97mg of iron.

potassium

Both spinach and romaine lettuce are high in potassium. Spinach has 126% more potassium than romaine lettuce - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 247mg 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 romaine lettuce and spinach contain significant amounts of quercetin.

Romaine Lettuce Spinach
luteolin 0.05 mg 0.74 mg
kaempferol 0.02 mg 6.38 mg
Quercetin 2.2 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, both romaine lettuce and spinach contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.

Romaine Lettuce Spinach
beta-carotene 5226 UG 5626 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 2312 UG 12198 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, both romaine lettuce and spinach contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Romaine Lettuce Spinach
alpha linoleic acid 0.113 G 0.138 G
Total 0.113 G 0.138 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both romaine lettuce and spinach contain small amounts of linoleic acid.

Romaine Lettuce Spinach
linoleic acid 0.047 G 0.026 G
Total 0.047 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 Romaine Lettuce or Spinach .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) .

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FAQ

Does spinach or romaine lettuce contain more calories in 100 grams?
Spinach and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and romaine lettuce has 17 calories.

Is spinach or romaine lettuce better for protein?
Spinach has 130% more protein than romaine lettuce - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 1.2g of protein.

Does spinach or romaine lettuce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both spinach and romaine lettuce are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and romaine lettuce has 3.3g of carbohydrates.

Does spinach or romaine lettuce contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 200% more calcium than romaine lettuce - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 33mg of calcium.

Does spinach or romaine lettuce contain more potassium?
Both spinach and romaine lettuce are high in potassium. Spinach has 130% more potassium than romaine lettuce - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 247mg of potassium.