🥦 Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Calories in Spinach, baby

The 'iron superfood' reputation that started with a 19th-century decimal error

Spinach, baby — 27 calories per 100g, nutrition facts
27 kcal
per 100g
Protein 2.85g
Carbs 2.41g
Fat 0.62g
Fiber 1.56g

What makes spinach so powerful?

Spinach's legendary iron reputation traces back to a mistake: a 19th-century data point got copied with a misplaced decimal point, making spinach look like it had ten times more iron than it actually does — a myth so persistent it later inspired Popeye's spinach-fueled strength. Spinach genuinely is a solid plant source of iron, just not a freakish one, and crucially, its iron is the "non-heme" plant form, which the body absorbs far less efficiently than the iron in meat — unless you pair it with vitamin C. Spinach is also high in oxalates, compounds that bind calcium and further reduce how much of spinach's own calcium and iron you actually absorb.

🔢
The decimal point myth
A 19th-century data error inflated spinach's iron reputation tenfold — the myth still persists today.
🍋
Iron needs a partner
Spinach's plant-based iron absorbs poorly alone; vitamin C dramatically improves uptake.
⚗️
Oxalates work against it
Spinach's own oxalates bind some of its calcium and iron, limiting how much you actually absorb.
💡 When & how to use it

Pair spinach with a vitamin C source — lemon, tomato, citrus — to meaningfully boost iron absorption. Light cooking actually reduces oxalate content compared to eating it raw, so cooked spinach can deliver more usable calcium and iron than a raw salad.

Calories by Serving Size

100g
27 kcal
P 2.85g C 2.41g F 0.62g
1 RACC (85g)
23 kcal
P 2.4g C 2g F 0.5g
200g
54 kcal
P 5.7g C 4.8g F 1.2g
50g
14 kcal
P 1.4g C 1.2g F 0.3g
grams = 27 kcal

Full Nutrition Facts

Per 100g — daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 100g
Calories 27
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.62g 1%
Sodium 111mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 2.41g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1.56g 6%
Protein 2.85g 6%
Vitamin C 26.5mg 29%
Calcium 68.4mg 5%
Iron 1.26mg 7%
Potassium 582mg 12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

How does Spinach fit your daily goals?

🏃
5 min
Walking to burn 27 kcal
🎯
1%
of 2,000 kcal daily goal
💪
2.85g
protein (6% of daily 50g)
74
servings until 2,000 kcal
🍎

Log Spinach in CalRay — just snap a photo

CalRay's AI recognizes spinach and hundreds of thousands of other foods from a photo. No manual lookup needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in Spinach, baby?

Spinach, baby contains 27 calories per 100g. A standard serving of 1 RACC (85g) provides 23 calories. It is considered a very low-calorie food (under 50 kcal/100g), making it excellent for weight management.

How much protein does Spinach, baby have?

Spinach, baby provides 2.85g of protein per 100g, which is 6% of the 50g daily recommended value. It is not a primary protein source.

How many carbs are in Spinach, baby?

Spinach, baby contains 2.41g of carbohydrates per 100g . It also provides 1.56g of dietary fiber.

Is Spinach, baby good for weight loss?

Yes! Spinach, baby is very low in calories (27 kcal/100g) and can be eaten in generous portions even on a calorie-restricted diet.

How do I track Spinach, baby calories accurately?

The easiest way to track spinach is with CalRay. Simply snap a photo of your meal and the AI will automatically identify the food and calculate calories and macros based on the estimated portion size — no manual lookup required. You can also search by name and adjust gram weight manually.

Compare Spinach

All comparisons →

🍽️ Perfectly Pairs With Spinach

See all →