Spinach — boiled: how many calories?

Spinach — boiled carries 23 calories per 100 grams; a typical portion (150 g) comes to 35 calories. The tables below give the same figure in cups, spoons and slices.

100 g23kcal
  • Protein3.0 g
  • Carbs3.8 g
  • Fat0.3 g
  • Fibre2.4 g
1 portion · 150 g35kcal
  • Protein4.5 g
  • Carbs5.7 g
  • Fat0.4 g
  • Fibre3.6 g

Where do the calories come from?

  • Protein 40%
  • Carbs 51%
  • Fat 9%

These percentages come from calories, not from grams: a gram of protein or carbohydrate counts as 4 calories, a gram of fat as 9. Alcohol is left out of the sum, fibre is counted with the carbohydrate, and the total always lands on one hundred.

What do these numbers mean on the plate?

Spinach — boiled carries 0.2 calories per gram: it takes 435 grams to reach 100 calories. In this band the portion is hard to misjudge by eye, because piling up calories means genuinely filling the plate.

A typical portion is 150 g. Because tables are written per 100 grams, counting the portion as 100 grams too is a common mistake; for Spinach — boiled that means understating the calories by 33%.

One portion every day adds up to 12,593 calories a year — roughly a 1.6 kg difference. This is a linear estimate and an upper bound: as weight changes, daily needs change with it. Build your own timeline

In fruit and vegetables the calories are diluted by water; the dried form is several times denser at the same weight.

Household measure equivalents

MeasureGramCaloriesProtein
Tablespoon (15 ml)11 g3 kcal0.3 g
Small glass (100 ml)75 g17 kcal2.3 g
Glass (200 ml)150 g35 kcal4.5 g
US cup (240 ml)180 g41 kcal5.4 g
Bowl (300 ml)225 g52 kcal6.8 g

A cup measures 200 millilitres, not 200 grams; the grams in the table therefore come from the food's own bulk density rather than from volume. Packing the cup down or chopping more finely shifts the figure by 10-20%. Convert your own measure

How much of the daily reference intake?

NutrientDaily reference100 g1 portion · 150 g
Calories2,000 kcal1%2%
Fat70 g0%1%
Carbs260 g1%2%
Protein50 g6%9%
Fibre25 g10%14%

The reference values are the figures EU Regulation 1169/2011 gives for an average adult — the %RI column on labels rests on the same numbers. They are not a personal target; the fibre row is not in the regulation, the 25 grams there is EFSA's adequate intake for adults. Work out your own calorie needs

Where does it sit within its group?

It is number 3 of the 12 foods in the Fruit and vegetables group by calories per 100 grams. The group averages 51 kcal; Spinach — boiled is 55% below that average.

Lighter options at the same 150 grams

FoodCaloriesDifferenceProtein
Cucumber23 kcal−12 kcal1.0 g
Tomato27 kcal−8 kcal1.4 g

The “good swap” mark only appears when an option lowers the calories without also lowering protein and fibre per 100 calories. Unmarked rows save calories but give up nutrient density. Try it with your own portion

How long does it take to burn one portion (150 g)?

  • Walking — brisk (5.6 km/h)9 min
  • Running — 8 km/h (7:30 min/km)4 min
  • Cycling — 16-19 km/h5 min

The maths assumes 70 kg and is NET rather than gross: the resting calories that would burn without any exercise are not counted, because they do not pay for this portion. The heavier you are, the shorter the times. Calculate with your own weight

Which claims could its label carry?

EU Regulation 1924/2006 ties every label claim to a numeric threshold. Spinach — boiled meets 4 of them:

  • Low energy100 g → 23 kcal · threshold: at most 40 kcal
  • Fat-free100 g → 0.3 g fat · threshold: at most 0.5 g
  • High protein52% of its calories come from protein · threshold: at least 20%
  • Source of fibre100 kcal → 10.4 g fibre · threshold: at least 1.5 g

The thresholds apply to a product's OWN analysis; the values here come from average composition tables. So this list is not an authorisation, only an estimate of which side of the threshold a product sits on. For drinks the energy and fat thresholds are per 100 millilitres and lower. Interpret your own label

Apply these numbers to your own portion

The values are averages taken from standard composition tables; a 10-15% difference between two products with the same name is normal, and the cooking method can double that gap. This page is for information and is not medical advice.