Chard vs. Spinach: Nutrition, GI, Diets, & Health

Classification

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) belongs to the Spinacia genus, whereas chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) belongs to the Beta genus. Both belong to the Chenopodioideae subfamily and the Amaranthaceae family. The family is also known as the amaranth family and includes primarily annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs.

Chard is also known as Swiss chard, silverbeet, perpetual spinach, leaf beet, and beet spinach.

Calories

Chard and spinach are very low in calories, providing 20 and 23 calories per 100g serving, respectively.

Protein

Spinach contains 1g more protein than chard. Cooked spinach contains 2.97g of proteins, whereas chard contains 1.88g.

Fats

Both leafy greens contain negligible amounts of fat: less than 0.5g per 100g serving.

Carbohydrates

Chard is slightly higher in total carbs than spinach. Chard contains 4.13g of total carbs, whereas spinach contains 3.75g per 100g serving.

Among the carbohydrates in chard, dietary fiber makes up 2.1g, and sugars make up 1.1g; in spinach, dietary fiber makes up 2.4g, and sugars make up 0.43g.

Vitamins

Both chard and spinach are rich in vitamins and minerals, spinach being significantly richer in some.

Spinach is 16 times richer in vitamin B9 (folate) and 1.5 times richer in vitamin K and vitamin A than chard. However, both cover the recommended daily value (DV) of vitamins K and A by over 100%. Spinach covers the recommended daily value of folate by 37%.

100g of spinach covers the DV of vitamins A and K by 210% and 410%, respectively. Chard covers the DV of vitamins A and K by 122% and 273%, respectively.

Spinach is richer in vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6, and vitamin E. On the other hand, chard is richer in vitamin C and slightly richer in vitamin B5.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Spinach

7

Chard

3

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+71.1%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+179.4%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+174.4%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+36.1%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+184.7%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+50.8%
Contains more FolateFolate	+1522.2%

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+83.7%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+12.4%
Contains more CholineCholine	+45.7%

~equal in Vitamin E ~1.89mg

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

Minerals

Spinach is over 2.5 times richer in manganese, 2 times richer in calcium and zinc, and 1.5 times richer in iron. Spinach is also richer in phosphorus and selenium, whereas chard is richer in potassium. Both contain similar levels of magnesium and copper.

Chard is naturally 2.5 times higher in sodium. A 100g of chard and spinach contain 180mg and 70mg of sodium, respectively. According to the FDA, the RDV of sodium should be less than 2300 mg daily (2).

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Spinach

7

Chard

1

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+134.5%
Contains more IronIron	+58%
Contains more ZincZinc	+130.3%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+69.7%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-60.9%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+179.9%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+66.7%

Contains more PotassiumPotassium

+17.8%

~equal in Magnesium ~86mg

~equal in Copper ~0.163mg

Oxalates & Kidney Stones

Both card and spinach are high in oxalates. The oxalate content of chard is 812mg per 100g serving, whereas the oxalate content of spinach is 490mg.

Most people can safely consume oxalates or oxalic acids; however, those in risk groups (current and previous history or family history of oxalate kidney stones) should avoid consuming high-oxalate foods (3).

Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals are non-nutrient bioactive plant compounds linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases and cancer.

Spinach is studied to contain phytosterols, saponins, alkaloids, phenolics, tannins, glycosides, flavonoids, quinones, coumarin, terpenoids, anthocyanins, and emodins (4, 5).

Chard contains betalains, flavonoids, phenolic acids, saponins, and terpenoids (6, 7).

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index values of spinach and chard are yet to be calculated. However, leafy greens are low in sugar and high in dietary fiber; thus, they can be considered low-glycemic index foods.

Acidity

The PRAL (Potential Renal Acid Load) value demonstrates how much acid or base the organism produces after consuming a particular food.

The PRAL value of chard is -12.4, whereas the PRAL value of spinach is -10.3. The negative PRAL values show that the food is base-producing.

Cardiovascular Health

Leafy greens consumption, such as spinach and Swiss chard, is associated with cardiovascular health benefits and decreased risk of heart disease. According to large observational studies, leafy green and cruciferous vegetable intake are superior to yellow-orange-red vegetable and legume intake in promoting heart health (10).

Leafy greens are rich in inorganic nitrates; they mainly have a greater nitrate concentration in autumn than in spring (11). The nitrate is converted to nitrite and NO or nitric oxide; the NO widens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic); thus, it may help those with high blood pressure. Nitric oxide may also decrease the risk of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis (12).

Diabetes

According to the British Medical Journal (BMJ), increasing daily intake of leafy greens may significantly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (13).

Swiss chard extracts may regulate blood sugar levels due to their apigenin flavonoid content (14, 15). Bioactive compounds in spinach may also regulate blood glucose levels (16).

Cancer

Studies suggest that high amounts of carotenoids found in chard and spinach may reduce the risk of certain cancers, such as lung, bladder, and prostate cancers (17, 18, 19).

The dietary fiber and nutrients with antioxidant activity in leafy greens decrease the risk of colorectal cancer (20, 21).