Arugula vs Spinach: Which is Better? A Complete Comparison

Part of my Health Coach job is to educate people about healthy foods like leafy greens. Two of them, arugula and spinach are synonymous with a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, many people ask, which is better, arugula or spinach?

Spinach is better than arugula due to its greater percentage of protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Spinach provides more vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, B6, niacin, folate, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc and copper per 100 grams than arugula.

This article will examine both foods entirely including a side-by-side nutrient comparison. In addition, I’ll take a close look at their tastes, textures, prices, glycemic index, health benefits and if one can substitute for the other.

In addition to coaching clients about them, I’ve purchased, researched and consumed both prior to, during and after writing this article.

What’s the Difference?

Although spinach and arugula are both green leafy vegetables, they are from different families. Spinach is originally from Persia and belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. Arugula is from the Brassicaceae family. Spinach is a darker green, thicker and can taste bitter. Arugula is a thinner leaf and tastes spicier and peppery.

What is Arugula?

Arugula is a healthy leafy green popularized in Mediterranean cuisine. It belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which also includes cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli.

It has a light green color and its leaves are longer and narrower than spinach.

Other common names include garden rocket and eruca. In addition to the leaves, the flowers, seed pods and mature seeds are all edible¹.

Arugula and spinach photo comparison — Arugula on the left Spinach on the right

What is Spinach?

Spinach is a healthy leafy green originally from Persia. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, which also includes beets, chard and quinoa.

It is a dark green and the leaves are oval to triangular. Its leaves are more dense and shorter than arugula.

It’s a versatile ingredient and can be used in various dishes alone or combined with other foods.

Arugula vs Spinach: A Nutrient Comparison

The following table compares the nutrients contained per 100 grams.

	Spinach, raw (100 g)	Arugula, raw (100 g)
Calories	23	25
Protein	2.86 g	2.58 g
Carbohydrates	3.63 g	3.65 g
Fiber	2.2 g	1.6 g
Fat	0.39 g	0.66 g
Sugar	0.42 g	2.05 g
Vitamin A	9,380 IU	2,370 IU
Beta-carotene	5,630 mcg	1,420 mcg
Vitamin C	28.1 mg	15.0 mg
Vitamin K	483 mcg	109 mcg
Vitamin D	0 IU	0 IU
Vitamin B6	0.19 mg	0.07 mg
Vitamin B9 (Folate)	194 mcg	97 mcg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	0.08 mg	0.04 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	0.19 mg	0.09 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	0.72 mg	0.30 mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)	0.07 mg	0.43 mg
Magnesium	79 mg	47 mg
Phosphorous	49 mg	52 mg
Potassium	558 mg	369 mg
Iron	2.71 mg	1.46 mg
Copper	0.13 mg	0.08 mg
Calcium	99 mg	160 mg
Zinc	0.53 mg	0.47 mg

Nutrient Resources²³

Spinach generally contains much higher levels of nutrients than arugula.

Green Leafy Vegetables: Which to Choose?

Gluten Free

If you have celiac disease or you’re consuming a gluten free diet, this may remove any of the other comparisons when deciding between the two greens. Therefore, when comparing both, knowing which one is gluten free is important.

Arugula and spinach are gluten free. Therefore, if you have celiac disease, both of them are good options.

Keto or Low-carb Diet

If you’re consuming a Keto or low-carb diet, the number of carbohydrates a food contains may be your priority. Therefore, which has more carbohydrates?

Both have a similar number of carbohydrates. Spinach contains 3.63 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams and arugula 3.65 grams. The two amounts are almost equal making both of them a good choice for a low-carb or keto diet.

Weight Loss

If you’re counting calories because you’re trying to lose weight, you may be wondering which is better for weight loss.

Both leafy greens have a similar amount of calories. Arugula contains 25 calories per 100 grams and spinach 23 calories. The two amounts are almost equal making both of them a good choice for weight loss.

Bodybuilding

If you’re trying to gain lean muscle by lifting weights at home or in the gym, your protein and carbohydrate intake are important. If you’re bodybuilding you may be curious which is better for building muscle and exercise.

Both have a similar amount of protein and carbohydrates. Arugula contains 2.58 grams of protein per 100 grams and spinach 2.86 grams. Arugula contains 3.65 grams of carbs per 100 grams while spinach has 3.63 grams.

The two amounts are almost equal making both of them a good choice for bodybuilding.

I mostly choose spinach due to its nutrients and crisp baby spinach’s texture. I’ll add it to salads and into smoothies. When I visit my favorite cafe for lunch they make me a wonderful salad with mixed greens consisting of both.

The Tastes and Textures

Sometimes it comes down to what tastes better or your mood at the time. Choosing one over the other may come down to taste. Therefore, let’s explore which one tastes better.

Spinach tastes mild to bitter when raw and the flavor becomes stronger when cooked or steamed. Arugula has a spicy or peppery flavor and can taste slightly bitter when cooked. Spinach leaves are denser and hold together better when raw compared to thinner arugula which tears apart easier.

I wanted to conduct original research on the topic, so I reached out to my clients, readers and members of food groups. I asked them, what tastes better?

46% said they preferred the taste of spinach.
42% said they preferred the taste of arugula.
12% said they had no preference.

To conduct more research I setup and participated in a taste test at home. We mixed each one separately into two different salads and blindly tasted each one. All three of us chose the salad with the spinach.

Substituting

I typically can find either leafy green at the supermarket, especially in the bagged or sealed container section of the produce section. Sometimes I don’t like the freshness of one and have to pick a different leafy green.

Other times I may only have one available at home and don’t feel like running out to the store. For these reasons, knowing which one can substitute for the other can solve the problem.

Although they have a slightly different taste and texture, arugula and spinach can substitute for each other in recipes, salads and side dishes. Both can be used in salads, soups, egg dishes, pastas, on pizza, wraps, sandwiches, smoothies and stir-fries. Substitute using a one to one ratio.

You may want to use both of them in the same dish or salad. Some of the food companies have made this easier for you as they sell a mix containing both in the same bag or container.

Popular Arugula Uses

You can eat it raw or cook it into a variety of dishes. Unlike spinach, it is often used as a garnish, but it can also be used in main dishes.

You can also use it as a flavorful, robust garnish on pizzas, pasta, soups or on the side of a hearty meal as a beautiful and delicious accent.

Main/Side Dishes

Arugula can be cooked, steamed or simply placed on top of main or side dishes. Its flavor becomes slightly milder when cooked with other ingredients.

You can use it in:

Salads
Smoothies
Soups
Wraps

Cooking chopped spinach. — Cooking chopped spinach

Popular Spinach Uses

Let’s take a look at some of the more popular uses.

Salad

You can eat raw, fresh spinach on its own in a light, refreshing salad. This dish is not only easy to make but can be enriched by adding other healthy ingredients to it like:

Raisins
Walnuts
Radishes
Red onions
Peppers
Avocado
Tomatoes
Carrots
Quinoa

Adding a homemade vinaigrette can add a significant amount of flavor to your salad without having to sacrifice nutritional value. I often use olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Side and Main Dishes

You can use it in many main and side dishes including:

Casseroles
Pasta
Omelets
Smoothies
Dips
Soups
Appetizers like steamed or sauteed

The following video describes how to make an arugula salad.

The Cost

It seems the price of grocery items keeps getting higher. The cost of food certainly matters to most people. Therefore, let’s examine the prices of both leafy greens.

Fresh arugula costs more money per ounce than spinach. The cost for fresh arugula averages $0.55 per ounce and spinach averages $0.16 per ounce.

To conduct more original research, I visited some local supermarkets and compared the prices of each one. Here are my findings.

First I visited a Walmart Supercenter:

Marketside bagged fresh spinach
- 10 ounce bag for $1.98. Equals $0.20 per ounce
Marketside fresh arugula
- 5 ounce container for $2.55. Equals $0.51 per ounce

I then checked my local Shoprite supermarket:

Bowl and basket chopped spinach
- 10 ounce bag for $1.29. Equals $0.13 per ounce
Bowl and basket arugula
- 5 ounce bag for $2.99. Equals $0.60 per ounce

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index measures how fast food raises blood sugar levels ((Harvard Health Publishing: Glycemic index for 60+ foods)). Large blood sugar spikes may lead to health complications over time ((National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers: Use Them to Manage Your Diabetes)). For this reason, avoiding blood sugar spikes as often as possible is an important part of a healthy diet.

Foods on the GI scale are categorized as:

Low-GI foods: 55 or under
Medium-GI foods: 56-69
High-GI foods: 70 or over

How blood sugars levels are affected:

Foods with a glycemic index 70 or more cause a quicker spike in blood sugar levels.
Foods with a glycemic index 56 to 69 cause a moderate spike in blood sugar levels.
Foods with a glycemic index 55 or less cause a slow spike in blood sugar levels.

Arugula and spinach are both low glycemic foods and have few carbohydrates per serving. Besides the two, all leafy greens have a low glycemic index, almost unmeasurable in some varieties.

arugula and spinach salad — Arugula and spinach salad with avocado

Health Benefits

The two leafy vegetables provide much health nutrition with vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin A & Beta Carotene

Spinach provides 295% more vitamin A per 100 grams.

Beta-carotene is a compound present in both foods. The body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A.

Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce cellular damage by controlling the negative effects of free radicals⁴. An increased number of vitamin A has been shown to fight and prevent cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States⁵.

According to scientific studies, vitamin A helps the eyes when it comes to dim light vision and dry eyes ((National Center for Biotechnology Information: Nutrients for the aging eye)).

B Vitamins

Spinach provides a higher percentage of B6, folate, niacin, thiamin and riboflavin. The B vitamins provided include the following:

B1 (thiamin)
B2 (riboflavin)
B3 (niacin)
B5
B6
B9 (folate)

B vitamins help support the following:

Digestion.
Nerve function.
Brain function.
Red blood cells.
Energy levels.
Cardiovascular disease.

In a study released in 2018 32 healthy adults were given B vitamin supplementation for six months. The results indicated preliminary evidence B vitamin supplementation reduced oxidative stress and inflammation⁶.

A B vitamin deficiency has been associated with oxidative stress and neural inflammation.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and helps with the following:

Help maintain health gums.
Collagen production.
Prevent cell damage.
May help boost the immune system.
Increases iron absorption.
Help heal wounds.

Find out the differences between these two spinach varieties in my comparison article.

arugula salad on a plate — Arugula salad

Dietary Fiber

Soluble fiber is helpful for many reasons ((National Center for Biotechnology Information: Mechanisms linking dietary fiber, gut microbiota and colon cancer prevention)). What makes fiber soluble is it dissolves in water.

Soluble fiber is known for the following:

Help overall digestion.
Helps to have a more regular stool and avoid constipation.
Manage the blood glucose levels which helps decrease the risk of diabetes.
Aids greatly in weight management because it allows you to feel full faster and eat less.

Minerals

Spinach provides a higher percentage of five of the seven minerals listed in the table above. The difference in minerals is significant. Therefore, let’s examine the minerals closer and discuss how they may benefit health.

Potassium and Blood Pressure

According to Harvard Health, a number of studies have shown a connection between low potassium levels and high blood pressure⁷. The more potassium, the more sodium your body will lose.

Potassium helps the body reduce excess fluid and blood pressure⁸.

Some medical experts recommend the potassium to sodium ratio of 4:1. Consuming too much sodium or not enough potassium throws off the delicate balance the kidneys need to remove the excess water⁹.

Find out which spinach type has more nutrients in my article.

Magnesium

Magnesium helps the body control the following:

Systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Blood sugar
Nerve function
Insomnia
Muscle

One reason many people supplement with magnesium in the evening is because it helps calm the whole body including blood vessels.

Magnesium helps keep blood pressure levels stable and balanced. Recent scientific research examined previous studies and concluded magnesium supplementation decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure¹⁰.

In the heart and muscles, magnesium competes with calcium to help the muscles relax after contracting. When the body is low in magnesium, calcium can over stimulate the heart muscle’s cells causing a rapid or irregular heartbeat¹¹.

Calcium

Calcium is important for the heart and blood pressure. Harvard Health reports calcium helps maintain blood pressure by helping in the controlling of the relaxing and tightening of blood vessels¹².

Calcium also helps the following:

Helps nerve function.
Help the muscles to function properly.
Maintain and build strong bones.

Find out if Swiss chard has more nutrients in my article.

salad greens in my local supermarket — Checking arugula and spinach in my local supermarket

Find out if collard greens have more nutrients in my article. You may be surprised.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus has been shown in scientific studies to help with the following:

Promote healthy nerve conduction.
Help the body manage and store energy.
Help the kidneys remove waste.
Muscle contraction and recovery.
Promote bone and teeth health.

Iron

Iron is essential in the creation of red blood cells and is a necessary part of any healthy diet. Iron is also vital for growth and development, as some hormones need iron to be appropriately balanced¹³.

Nitrates

Leafy green vegetables are rich in dietary nitrates. They are partially beneficial at improving vascular function of the vessel walls.

Arugula has approximately four times the amount of nitrates. While beneficial, the conversion into nitrites has raised questions about the safety of diets high in nitrates.

However studies have shown the benefits of leafy greens outweighs the concerns. Always check with your physician about questions with your diet, especially if you’re on particular medications.

The following video describes the heath benefits of arugula.

Find out if romaine is healthier in my comparison article. Is it just as good?

Additional Article Resources¹⁴¹⁵

If you have any questions about this article don’t hesitate to email us. You can find an email on our contact page.