Produce
Chopped Spinach (Raw) Conversion
Chopped Spinach (Raw) weighs 30g per US cup.
| Amount | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 30.0 g | 1.06 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 15.0 g | 0.53 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 7.5 g | 0.26 oz |
| 1 tbsp | 1.9 g | 0.07 oz |
| 1 tsp | 0.6 g | 0.02 oz |
| 100 g | 100.0 g | 3.53 oz |
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Raw chopped spinach weighs just 30 grams per cup — the lightest entry on this entire site — because fresh spinach leaves are extremely thin and mostly water, with very little dense structure packed into their large but featherlight volume.
That light, airy structure is also exactly why spinach shrinks so dramatically when cooked — a large panful of raw spinach wilts down to a small fraction of its raw volume within a minute or two of heat, since cooking collapses the leaf's cell structure and drives out much of the water that gave it its raw bulk; this is worth accounting for when a recipe specifies a cooked-spinach quantity versus a raw one, since they're wildly different amounts by volume.
Spinach naturally contains oxalic acid, a compound that can bind with calcium and iron and reduce how efficiently the body absorbs those minerals from the same meal — a genuine, real nutritional consideration, though it's specific to how spinach's minerals interact within a single meal rather than a reason to avoid the vegetable, which still offers real nutritional value overall.
Raw chopped spinach is famously light and voluminous at just 30g per cup, and that low density is exactly why recipes calling for spinach by volume often specify "packed" cups — an unpacked, loosely piled cup can hold noticeably less actual spinach by weight than one pressed down firmly, a bigger swing than most produce shows between packed and unpacked measuring.
Spinach also contains oxalic acid, which is part of why it's sometimes blanched and shocked in ice water before being used in a dish — briefly cooking and cooling it this way reduces some of that oxalic acid while also locking in its color before it goes fully limp.
How long does it last?
Storage & shelf life →
Frequently asked questions
Why does spinach shrink so much when cooked?
Spinach's leaves are almost entirely water held in a thin, delicate framework, and heat collapses that framework almost instantly — a panful that looked overflowing wilts down to barely a spoonful within a minute or two on the stove.
Is a recipe calling for "1 cup spinach" referring to raw or cooked spinach?
It genuinely depends on the recipe and is worth checking specifically — a cup of raw spinach and a cup of cooked spinach represent wildly different actual quantities of the vegetable, given how dramatically it shrinks during cooking.
What is oxalic acid in spinach, and should I be concerned about it?
It's a compound naturally present in spinach that can bind to calcium and iron, which can modestly reduce how much of those minerals the body actually pulls out of the same meal — a real nutritional footnote, but not a reason to skip an otherwise nutrient-packed vegetable.
Does spinach need to be blanched before freezing, like other leafy greens on this site?
Yes — blanching briefly before freezing helps preserve spinach's color, texture, and nutrients better than freezing it raw, following the same reasoning that applies to kale and other leafy greens on this site.
Why does raw spinach only last 3-5 days in the fridge despite being a hardy-looking leafy green?
Its thin, delicate leaf structure and high water content make it prone to wilting and sliminess relatively quickly once picked, similar to other tender leafy greens, even though it doesn't look as fragile as a berry.