USDA source topicVegetables

Spinach: nutrition range, portions, and source records

This wiki page organizes 10 exact USDA Survey Foods records labeled “Spinach.” It shows the median and central spread of reported nutrients per 100 grams, explains the portion and preparation language present in the records, and keeps every underlying profile and citation available for inspection.

What is included?

The exact descriptions define the topic.

USDA places these records in the “Spinach” survey-food category. Within Feast’s broader navigation, they appear under Vegetables (10 records). The category label is useful for discovery, but it does not mean every record uses the same recipe, brand, cooking method, or portion.

The current collection includes Spinach, raw; Spinach, canned, cooked with butter or margarine; Spinach, frozen, cooked with oil; Spinach, frozen, cooked with butter or margarine; Spinach, fresh, cooked, no added fat. Those examples show why the exact wording matters. The complete alphabetical catalog farther down the page preserves all 10 descriptions instead of replacing them with one generic average.

A robust view of the data

Median and central nutrient ranges per 100 grams

The central range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile of the records on this page. The observed minimum and maximum are included for transparency, but the middle interval is generally more useful for seeing the collection without letting one extreme record dominate.

NutrientMedianCentral 80%Observed spanRecords
Caloriesper 100 g46 kcal27 kcal–59 kcal23 kcal–63 kcal10
Proteinper 100 g3.3 g2.7 g–3.9 g2.7 g–4 g10
Carbohydrateper 100 g3.3 g3 g–4.7 g2.4 g–4.8 g10
Total fatper 100 g2.9 g0.6 g–3.8 g0.5 g–4.1 g10
Dietary fiberper 100 g2.3 g1.8 g–3.6 g1.6 g–3.7 g10
Total sugarsper 100 g0.5 g0.4 g–0.5 g0.4 g–0.5 g10
Sodiumper 100 g258 mg197 mg–323 mg111 mg–330 mg10
Potassiumper 100 g342 mg293 mg–544 mg292 mg–582 mg10
Calciumper 100 g124 mg75 mg–149 mg68 mg–153 mg10
Ironper 100 g1.9 mg1.2 mg–2.2 mg1.2 mg–2.3 mg10

All rows use the same 100-gram denominator and values from the cited records. The interval is descriptive, not a recommended intake range or statistical confidence interval.

Calories context

46 kcal at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported calories value is 46 kcal per 100 grams. The central records run from 27 kcal to 59 kcal, while the complete observed span is 23 kcal to 63 kcal.

Spinach, raw is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, frozen, cooked with oil is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Protein context

3.3 g at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported protein value is 3.3 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 2.7 g to 3.9 g, while the complete observed span is 2.7 g to 4 g.

Spinach, canned, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, frozen, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Carbohydrate context

3.3 g at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported carbohydrate value is 3.3 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 3 g to 4.7 g, while the complete observed span is 2.4 g to 4.8 g.

Spinach, fresh, cooked with oil is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, frozen, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Total fat context

2.9 g at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported total fat value is 2.9 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.6 g to 3.8 g, while the complete observed span is 0.5 g to 4.1 g.

Spinach, raw is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, frozen, cooked with oil is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Dietary fiber context

2.3 g at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported dietary fiber value is 2.3 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 1.8 g to 3.6 g, while the complete observed span is 1.6 g to 3.7 g.

Spinach, fresh, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, frozen, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Total sugars context

0.5 g at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported total sugars value is 0.5 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 0.4 g to 0.5 g, while the complete observed span is 0.4 g to 0.5 g.

Spinach, canned, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, frozen, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Sodium context

258 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported sodium value is 258 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 197 mg to 323 mg, while the complete observed span is 111 mg to 330 mg.

Spinach, frozen, cooked with oil is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, canned, cooked, no added fat is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Potassium context

342 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported potassium value is 342 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 293 mg to 544 mg, while the complete observed span is 292 mg to 582 mg.

Spinach, frozen, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, fresh, cooked, no added fat is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Calcium context

124 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported calcium value is 124 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 75 mg to 149 mg, while the complete observed span is 68 mg to 153 mg.

Spinach, fresh, cooked with oil is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, frozen, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Iron context

1.9 mg at the collection midpoint

Across 10 “Spinach” records, the middle reported iron value is 1.9 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 1.2 mg to 2.2 mg, while the complete observed span is 1.2 mg to 2.3 mg.

Spinach, fresh, cooked with butter or margarine is nearest the lower central boundary, and Spinach, canned, cooked with oil is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.

Preparation language in the records

Source descriptions reveal meaningful distinctions.

The counts below report words and phrases that appear explicitly in the 10 USDA descriptions. They can help narrow a search to a closer record. They do not prove that the named preparation caused a nutrient difference, because these survey-food records are not controlled experiments.

cooked

9 records use this wording, including Spinach, canned, cooked with butter or margarine; Spinach, canned, cooked with oil; Spinach, canned, cooked, no added fat.

canned

3 records use this wording, including Spinach, canned, cooked with butter or margarine; Spinach, canned, cooked with oil; Spinach, canned, cooked, no added fat.

frozen

3 records use this wording, including Spinach, frozen, cooked with butter or margarine; Spinach, frozen, cooked with oil; Spinach, frozen, cooked, no added fat.

no added fat

3 records use this wording, including Spinach, canned, cooked, no added fat; Spinach, fresh, cooked, no added fat; Spinach, frozen, cooked, no added fat.

raw

1 records use this wording, including Spinach, raw.

Portion context

Household measures answer a different question than 100 grams.

10 of 10 records (100%) include at least one named measure in the source data. Together those records provide 12 usable named measures.

Across the pooled named measures, the midpoint gram weight is 200 g. The central 10th-to-90th-percentile interval runs from 12 g to 220 g, while the complete observed span is 1–220 g. This pooled summary mixes different measure types, so it is a navigation aid rather than a suggested portion.

A cup, slice, piece, sandwich, fillet, or fluid ounce can represent a different amount of food. Even two measures with the same label may have different gram weights across records. Open the closest profile and use its listed weight instead of transferring a measure from another record.

USDA’s representative source amount is also not necessarily what a visitor ate. For equal-weight comparison, use the 100-gram table. For meal estimation, match the exact description first, then match the amount, and finally account for additions or preparation details absent from the selected record.

Common named measures in this topic

Choosing a closer record

Use a sequence, not a guess disguised as precision.

  1. 01

    Match the exact description

    Look for the closest food name, preparation, additions, and context. “Spinach” is the collection label; the individual description is the actual reference.

  2. 02

    Compare on equal weight

    Use the per-100-gram values when comparing two records. This keeps the denominator fixed and prevents different source-serving weights from masquerading as a food difference.

  3. 03

    Scale the closest listed measure

    Open the profile, select a named household measure when one fits, or enter a gram estimate. Treat scaled decimals as arithmetic from the source—not greater certainty about the plate.

  4. 04

    Add missing context

    Brand, recipe, cooking fat, sauce, toppings, substitutions, and edible portion can move the result. A current package label or weighed recipe may be more specific than a generic survey-food record.

Complete source catalog

All 10 “Spinach” records

Records are alphabetical, not ranked. Every row links to a complete Feast profile with household measures, all reported nutrients, estimate factors, and methodology, plus the exact USDA FoodData Central source where available.

Exact USDA descriptionCaloriesProteinFiberSodiumSource amountReferences
Spinach, canned, cooked with butter or margarineFDC 2709627 42 kcalper 100 g 2.7 gper 100 g 2.3 gper 100 g 330 mgper 100 g 110 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Spinach, canned, cooked with oilFDC 2709626 49 kcalper 100 g 2.7 gper 100 g 2.3 gper 100 g 313 mgper 100 g 110 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Spinach, canned, cooked, no added fatFDC 2709617 23 kcalper 100 g 2.8 gper 100 g 2.4 gper 100 g 322 mgper 100 g 108 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Spinach, fresh, cooked with butter or margarineFDC 2709619 55 kcalper 100 g 3.3 gper 100 g 1.8 gper 100 g 274 mgper 100 g 93 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Spinach, fresh, cooked with oilFDC 2709618 63 kcalper 100 g 3.3 gper 100 g 1.8 gper 100 g 254 mgper 100 g 93 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Spinach, fresh, cooked, no added fatFDC 2709615 33 kcalper 100 g 3.4 gper 100 g 1.9 gper 100 g 262 mgper 100 g 90 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Spinach, frozen, cooked with butter or margarineFDC 2709625 53 kcalper 100 g 3.9 gper 100 g 3.6 gper 100 g 223 mgper 100 g 110 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Spinach, frozen, cooked with oilFDC 2709624 59 kcalper 100 g 3.9 gper 100 g 3.6 gper 100 g 206 mgper 100 g 110 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Spinach, frozen, cooked, no added fatFDC 2709616 34 kcalper 100 g 4 gper 100 g 3.7 gper 100 g 212 mgper 100 g 108 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗
Spinach, rawFDC 2709614 27 kcalper 100 g 2.9 gper 100 g 1.6 gper 100 g 111 mgper 100 g 13 gUSDA reference amount Full profileUSDA source ↗

Boundaries and provenance

What this collection can—and cannot—tell you.

This page summarizes USDA FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS) records from 2021–2023, published 2024-10-31. FNDDS supplies standardized reference descriptions used to represent foods reported in dietary surveys. Each value on this page remains tied to one exact FDC record; the complete catalog provides direct links so the source can be checked rather than taken on trust.

The records are not laboratory measurements of every possible “Spinach” preparation. Restaurant recipes change, packaged products are reformulated, homemade ingredient ratios vary, and cooking can change water weight. A photo also cannot reliably reveal every hidden ingredient or gram weight. The robust range describes variation among the records selected for this topic, not uncertainty around a single meal.

The median is not a default calorie count. The 10th and 90th percentiles are not lower and upper recommendations. The minimum and maximum are not promises that every real version falls inside the observed span. These statistics are tools for navigating a source collection while keeping the denominator, record name, and normal recipe variation visible.

Nutrient values do not establish whether a food is appropriate for a particular person or condition. This wiki does not diagnose deficiencies, prescribe targets, or replace advice from a qualified professional. If accuracy matters for an allergy, medical diet, or clinician-directed limit, use verified ingredient information and the guidance relevant to that situation.

Why no overall ranking appears.

A record can report more protein and also differ in sodium, fiber, energy, fat, portion weight, or ingredients. Choosing one metric as a universal score would hide those tradeoffs and imply a value judgment the data cannot support. The alphabetical catalog and side-by-side statistics are intentionally descriptive.

For the full import, filtering, portion-scaling, Daily Value, and uncertainty rules, read Feast’s nutrition-page methodology. For an exact item, use its profile and FoodData Central link rather than citing this collection-level summary alone.

Common questions

Using the “Spinach” collection responsibly

Is the median the expected nutrition for my food?

No. It is the middle value among these 10 source records on a 100-gram basis. Your recipe, brand, preparation, and portion may align more closely with one specific record or may fall outside this collection.

Why compare 100 grams instead of one serving?

Source servings can have different gram weights and measure labels. Holding weight at 100 grams makes concentration comparable. After choosing a record, its household measures are more useful for estimating the amount actually eaten.

Does the upper end of a nutrient range mean “better”?

No. The position only describes that nutrient within this source collection. It does not evaluate the whole food, determine an appropriate portion, or account for an individual’s needs.

Which number should I log?

Start with the record whose exact wording most closely matches the food. Use a listed measure or gram estimate, then add missing recipe or preparation context. Keep the result as an estimate unless you have a current label or weighed recipe.