How many calories are in spinach?

Fresh spinach contains just 19 kcal per 100g, making it one of the lowest-calorie foods available. An 80g handful of raw spinach is only 15 kcal. Even a large 125g portion (which wilts down to about 80g when cooked) provides just 24 kcal. This extreme low calorie density, combined with decent protein (2.6g/100g for a vegetable), makes spinach an excellent food for volume eating.

Is spinach high in iron?

Spinach is one of the richest plant sources of iron at approximately 2.7mg per 100g raw. However, spinach iron is non-haem iron, which is less readily absorbed than the haem iron found in red meat. Spinach also contains oxalic acid, which can bind to iron and reduce absorption further. To maximise iron uptake from spinach, eat it with vitamin C-rich foods (lemon juice, peppers) and cook it — cooking breaks down some of the oxalic acid. Despite these caveats, spinach remains a valuable iron source, especially for vegetarians.

Is baby spinach healthier than regular spinach?

Baby spinach and regular (mature) spinach are nutritionally very similar. Tesco's baby spinach and regular spinach both show 19 kcal, 2.6g protein, 0.2g carbs, and 1.2g fibre per 100g. Baby spinach is simply harvested at an earlier growth stage, producing smaller, more tender leaves with a milder flavour. Some studies suggest baby spinach may have slightly higher concentrations of certain vitamins per gram due to the younger leaf stage, but the practical difference is negligible. Choose based on preference and intended use — baby spinach for salads, regular spinach for cooking.

Glucose: Very LowNOVA 1

Nutritional Information for Spinach

Spinach is a NOVA 1 leafy green vegetable delivering just 19-23 kcal per 100g with virtually no impact on blood sugar. From a SpikeSaver perspective, spinach is one of the safest foods you can eat — negligible carbohydrates (0.2g/100g) mean its glycaemic index is effectively irrelevant. It is exceptionally rich in iron, vitamin K, folate, and vitamin A. Baby spinach and regular spinach are nutritionally very similar, with baby spinach being slightly more tender and milder in flavour.

Nutrition per 100g

Nutrient	Per 100g	Per serving
Energy	19 kcal / 79 kJ	15 kcal
Protein	2.6g	2.1g
Carbohydrates	0.2g	0.2g
of which sugars	0g	—
Fat	0.6g	0.5g
of which saturated	0g	—
Fibre	1.2g	—
Salt	0.08g	—

Serving size: 1 large handful raw (~80g) or cooked portion (~125g raw, wilts to ~80g) · Source: Tesco product page, October 2025

Glucose impact

Glycemic Index

Very Low

Glucose risk

Spinach contains just 0.2g of carbohydrate per 100g with 0g of sugar. It has no measurable effect on blood glucose levels. The negligible carbohydrate content means calculating a glycaemic index is not meaningful — you would need to eat several kilograms of spinach to consume enough carbohydrate for a GI test. This makes spinach one of the safest possible foods for blood sugar management.

Processing level

NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

Fresh spinach — whether baby spinach or regular mature spinach — is an unprocessed single-ingredient vegetable. All the plain spinach products at Tesco are simply washed and packed leaves with no additives. Frozen spinach (plain) also remains NOVA 1. Only spinach-containing composite products like fishcakes, ravioli, or croquetas would score higher due to added ingredients.

Spinach at Tesco

Source: Tesco product page, October 2025

Tesco Spinach 500G

£1.66*NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

Tesco Baby Spinach 250G

£1.15*NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

Tesco Baby Spinach 220G

£1.40*NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

Tesco Organic Spinach 200G

£1.95*NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

Tesco Watercress, Spinach & Rocket 80g

£1.35*NOVA 1 (unprocessed)

*Prices were correct at the time of collection and may have since changed. Check Tesco.com for current pricing.

What to watch for when shopping

Plain fresh or frozen spinach is always NOVA 1 and has zero glucose impact. Baby spinach and regular spinach are nutritionally near-identical — baby spinach is simply harvested earlier, resulting in smaller, more tender leaves. The only products to watch are spinach-containing prepared foods: spinach and ricotta ravioli, spinach fishcakes, and spinach croquetas all contain significant added ingredients. Spinach wilts dramatically when cooked (losing about 90% of volume), so cooked spinach is much more nutrient-dense per spoonful than raw. Budget tip: Tesco Baby Spinach 250G at £1.15 (£4.60/kg) is the best value option.

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