Collard greens vs spinach: which is healthier?

They are about equally nutrient-dense: collard greens scores 99/100 and spinach 100/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Collard greens

99/100Excellent nutrient density

32 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup chopped: 36 g

Spinach

100/100Excellent nutrient density

23 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup raw: 30 g

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesSpinach32 vs 23 kcal per 100 g
More proteinAbout even3 vs 2.9 g per 100 g
More fiberCollard greens4 vs 2.2 g per 100 g
Less sugarAbout even0.5 vs 0.4 g per 100 g
More potassiumSpinach213 vs 558 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatAbout even<0.1 vs <0.1 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Collard greens, 100 g	Spinach, 100 g	Collard greens, 36 g	Spinach, 30 g
Calories	32 kcal	23 kcal	12 kcal	7 kcal
Protein	3 g	2.9 g	1.1 g	0.9 g
Carbohydrates	5.4 g	3.6 g	2 g	1.1 g
Sugars	0.5 g	0.4 g	0.2 g	0.1 g
Fiber	4 g	2.2 g	1.4 g	0.7 g
Fat	0.6 g	0.4 g	0.2 g	0.1 g
Saturated fat	<0.1 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g
Vitamin C	35 mg	28 mg	13 mg	8.4 mg
Vitamin A	251 µg	469 µg	90 µg	141 µg
Potassium	213 mg	558 mg	77 mg	167 mg
Iron	0.5 mg	2.7 mg	0.2 mg	0.8 mg
Calcium	232 mg	99 mg	84 mg	30 mg
Magnesium	27 mg	79 mg	9.7 mg	24 mg
Sodium	17 mg	79 mg	6.1 mg	24 mg

Last updated October 8, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

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