Calories in spinach

Raw. 23 kcal (96 kJ) per 100 g. Choose a portion below and every figure on the page updates.

Spinach is a leafy green with just 23 kcal (96 kJ) per 100 g raw, and it is about 91% water. Its small amount of energy is spread between carbohydrate and protein. What makes it stand out is micronutrient density: 100 g of raw spinach holds about four times the Daily Value of vitamin K, half of vitamin A and close to half of folate.

Where the energy comes from

Share of total energy contributed by each macronutrient, using the standard 4/4/9 kcal per gram factors:

Things worth knowing

• A cup of raw spinach weighs only about 30 g and has roughly 7 kcal (29 kJ). A 10 oz (284 g) bag has around 65 kcal (273 kJ) in total.
• Cooking shrinks spinach dramatically. Boiled spinach still has about 23 kcal per 100 g, but a cup of cooked spinach weighs around 180 g, so it carries about six times the energy of a cup of raw leaves.
• Spinach contains 2.7 mg of iron per 100 g (15% DV), but it is less iron-rich than its reputation suggests, and its oxalates reduce how much of that iron and calcium is absorbed.
• Just one cup of raw spinach provides about 145 µg of vitamin K, more than the full 120 µg Daily Value.

Converting these figures

One 1 cup, raw of spinach is 7 kcal, which is 29 kJ. To convert any other figure, divide kilojoules by 4.184 for calories, or use the converter on the home page.

It takes 1,039 g of spinach to reach 1,000 kJ (239 kcal). See how that compares with other foods on the 1000 kJ to calories page.