Green leafy vegetables · IFCT 2017
Spinach: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw spinach gives 24 kcal, 2.1 g protein, 2.95 mg iron, 82 mg calcium, 625 mg potassium and 142 micrograms of folate, according to IFCT 2017. Folate is its real strength, ranking 12th of 197 foods and covering 65 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. Its iron and calcium, despite the reputation, rank only 18th and 22nd of 26 green leafy vegetables.
About spinach
Palak is India's most familiar leafy green, grown through the cool season on the plains and almost year-round in the hills and around big cities. It is the green of palak paneer, dal palak, aloo palak and palak puri in the north, palong shaak with bori in Bengal, palang saga in Odisha and pasalai keerai in Tamil Nadu. IFCT 2017 records names in 16 languages, most of them some form of palak, from paleng in Assamese to palakoora in Telugu and paalungo ko saag in Nepali.
Spinach has a reputation, built partly on cartoons, as the iron-and-calcium vegetable. The Indian tables tell a more interesting story. Amaranth, gongura, methi, drumstick leaves and agathi all carry more iron or calcium per 100 g. Spinach earns its place with folate, potassium, vitamin E and beta-carotene, and with being easy to find, mild in taste and quick to cook.
What spinach brings to a meal
- 01
Folate is the headline
Spinach carries 142 micrograms of folate per 100 g, 12th of 197 foods and 3rd among leafy vegetables. For spinach, that equals 47 per cent of a man's folate requirement and 65 per cent of a woman's. Folate is easily lost in long cooking, so wilt rather than stew.
- 02
Potassium and magnesium
At 625 mg potassium per 100 g, spinach ranks 4th of 26 leafy vegetables and 41st of 243 foods. It also has 87 mg magnesium, 24 per cent of a woman's daily requirement.
- 03
Vitamin E and beta-carotene
The 1.27 mg vitamin E per 100 g ranks 2nd among leafy vegetables, and the 2605 micrograms of beta-carotene ranks 18th of 160 foods. Both are better absorbed with a little fat, as in palak paneer.
- 04
Iron and calcium, honestly
Spinach has 2.95 mg iron and 82 mg calcium per 100 g. Its oxalate binds much of the calcium, so very little is absorbed. Count spinach for folate and potassium, and look to ragi, curd or amaranth for calcium.
Spinach nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 24 kcal | 1% | 1% |
| Protein | 2.1 g | 4% | 5% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 2.4 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.2 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.6 g | ||
| Water | 90.3 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.18 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.04 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.29 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 220 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 82 mg | 8% | 8% |
| Iron | 2.95 mg | 16% | 10% |
| Zinc | 0.46 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Magnesium | 87 mg | 20% | 24% |
| Phosphorus | 33 mg | ||
| Potassium | 625 mg | ||
| Sodium | 43 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.17 mg | ||
| Selenium | 2.1 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 30.3 mg | 38% | 47% |
| Beta-carotene | 2,605 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.16 mg | 9% | 9% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.1 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.33 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.15 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Folate (B9) | 142 µg | 47% | 65% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.27 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 325 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Spinach: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/green-leafy-vegetables/spinach/
Where spinach sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 25 green leafy vegetables and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In green leafy vegetables | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folate (B9) | 142 µg | 3rd of 26 | 12th of 197 |
| Beta-carotene | 2,605 µg | 12th of 26 | 18th of 160 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 220 mg | 11th of 26 | 40th of 202 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.27 mg | 2nd of 26 | 37th of 242 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.16 mg | 3rd of 26 | 58th of 239 |
How spinach is eaten
- Palak paneer: blanched spinach pureed with onion, tomato, ginger and garlic, simmered with cubes of paneer.
- Dal palak: chopped spinach stirred into toor or moong dal with a garlic and cumin tadka.
- Palong shaak in Bengal: spinach cooked with potato, pumpkin and fried lentil bori.
- Pasalai keerai kootu in Tamil Nadu: spinach simmered with moong dal and a coconut and cumin paste.
- Palak puri or paratha: spinach puree kneaded into wheat dough with ajwain and green chilli.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Spinach is one of the highest-oxalate vegetables in an Indian kitchen. Oxalate binds calcium and some iron in the gut, which is why spinach's calcium is poorly absorbed, and it adds to the risk for people who form calcium oxalate kidney stones. Blanching spinach and discarding the water lowers oxalate noticeably. Pairing palak with paneer or curd, as Indian cooking often does, is sensible, since the calcium binds oxalate in the gut. Anyone with a history of stones should ask their doctor how often to eat it.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about spinach
Is spinach a good source of iron?
It is a moderate source. IFCT 2017 lists 2.95 mg iron per 100 g of spinach, which ranks 18th of 26 leafy vegetables. Gongura, amaranth, methi and garden cress all carry more. Oxalate in spinach also reduces how much iron is absorbed, so pair it with vitamin C.
Does spinach have calcium?
It has 82 mg calcium per 100 g in IFCT 2017, but much of it is bound to oxalate and absorbed poorly. Spinach is not a dependable calcium source. Milk, curd, paneer, ragi and low-oxalate greens such as mustard or knol-khol leaves do the job better.
Is palak paneer healthy?
It combines spinach's folate, potassium and beta-carotene with paneer's protein and calcium, so it is a well-balanced dish. The health of the final plate depends on the cream, butter and oil used. A home version with a spoon of oil and no cream is light and nourishing.
Should spinach be boiled before eating?
Blanching spinach for a minute or two and discarding the water reduces its oxalate and its slightly metallic taste. It also leaches some folate and vitamin C, so keep it short. Young spinach can be eaten raw in salads in moderate amounts.
Related foods and tables
Amaranth leaves (chaulai)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Fenugreek leaves (methi)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mustard leaves (sarson)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Basella leaves
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Beet greens
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Spinach vs Methi leaves
Side by side, per 100 g.
Spinach vs Moringa leaves
Side by side, per 100 g.
Folate (vitamin B9) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by folate (vitamin b9) per 100 g.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
Omega-3 (ALA) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by omega-3 (ala) per 100 g.
All green leafy vegetables
26 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
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