Calories in Spinach
Raw spinach contains just 23 kcal per 100g — practically a free food calorically. Per cup raw (30g), only 7 kcal but with meaningful iron (0.8mg), folate, and vitamin K.
Nutrition by portion size
| Portion | kcal | Carbs (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Fiber (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup raw spinach (~30g) | 7 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.7 |
| 1 cup cooked spinach (~180g) | 41 | 7 | 5.3 | 0.5 | 4.3 |
| 100g raw spinach | 23 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 2.2 |
| 100g cooked spinach | 23 | 3.8 | 3 | 0.3 | 2.4 |
| 10 oz frozen spinach (cooked) | 65 | 11 | 8.4 | 0.7 | 6.8 |
About these numbers
Spinach is among the most nutrient-dense vegetables relative to its calorie content. Per cooked cup: 5g of protein (excellent for a vegetable), 4g of fiber, 6.4mg of iron (35% of daily target — more than equivalent red meat per calorie), 657mg of potassium, plus the full vitamin K daily requirement. Volume shrinks dramatically with cooking — 1 cup raw becomes 1/6 cup cooked, so cooked spinach delivers concentrated nutrition per visual portion.
The iron in plant sources like spinach is non-heme iron, which has lower bioavailability than the heme iron in animal foods. Combining with vitamin C (citrus, peppers) at the same meal increases absorption 2–3 fold (Hallberg 1989 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). Coffee and tea reduce non-heme iron absorption — separate by 1–2 hours from spinach meals if iron status is a concern.
Use the calculators
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Frequently asked questions
- How many calories are in spinach?
- 100g of raw spinach contains only 23 kcal. A typical handful (~30g) is just 7 kcal — effectively a free food. Cooked spinach has the same calories per gram (it shrinks but doesn't change density meaningfully). A standard cooked cup (180g) is ~41 kcal.
- Is spinach good for weight loss?
- Exceptional — calorie density of 23 kcal/100g makes it essentially a free food. Adding generous spinach to meals adds volume, fiber, and nutrients without adding meaningful calories. The 2009 Pal et al. study showed adding 1 cup of spinach to meals reduced subsequent total daily intake by ~150 kcal in calorie-restricted participants. For volumetric eating strategies, spinach (raw in salads, cooked in stir-fries, blended in smoothies) is one of the highest-leverage food choices.
- Does spinach really have iron?
- Yes — 100g of raw spinach contains 2.7mg of iron; cooked spinach concentrates to 3.6mg per 100g. Per cooked cup (180g), spinach delivers 6.4mg of iron — 35% of daily target. The catch: it's non-heme iron with lower bioavailability than animal-source iron. Pairing with vitamin C-rich foods (lemon juice, bell peppers, citrus) 2–3x absorption. The "Popeye" cultural reputation of spinach as an iron superfood comes from a misplaced decimal in 1870 — but the corrected modern values still make spinach a meaningful iron source, just not the superfood the cartoon suggested.
- How much spinach should I eat?
- The 2018 US Dietary Guidelines recommend 2–3 cups of dark leafy greens per week. For most adults, 1 cup of cooked spinach (or 5 cups raw) 2–3 times per week meets that. Higher intake (daily) is fine for most people; the main caution is oxalate content for people with calcium oxalate kidney stones, where 2–3 cups cooked per week is typically the practical upper limit. For most adults, daily spinach is unambiguously net-positive for health.
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