Lambsquarter, cooked
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
Lambsquarter, also known as wild spinach or fat-hen, is a leafy green with a mild, earthy flavor reminiscent of spinach and a tender, slightly succulent texture when cooked. It's a nutritional powerhouse, offering a good balance of protein and fiber for a vegetable, with a notably low calorie count. Its leaves and stems are edible, making it a versatile and abundant foraged green.
Calorie split: 20% protein · 32% carbs · 48% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love lambsquarter for its mild, non-bitter taste that makes it an easy entry point into foraged greens, and its ability to absorb flavors in dishes like sautés and soups. It's also cherished by foragers as a free, abundant, and nutritious gift from gardens and fields.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The primary caution is its high oxalate content, which can contribute to kidney stone formation in susceptible individuals and may slightly reduce mineral absorption. To mitigate this, cook it thoroughly (boiling and discarding the water is most effective) and pair it with calcium-rich foods like cheese or yogurt to help bind the oxalates.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K
- Rich in minerals like calcium, iron, and manganese
- High in protein for a leafy green
- Good source of dietary fiber
- Contains antioxidants like beta-carotene
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Lambsquarter is so adept at thriving in disturbed, nitrogen-rich soil (like garden beds and compost piles) that it was once considered a sacred plant by some Native American tribes, who would deliberately plant it near their homes.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 86.4 g |
| Energy | 54.0 kcal |
| Protein | 3.1 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 3.2 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 4.8 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.60 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 250 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.68 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 22.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 44.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 279 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 149 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.29 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.19 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.90 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 35.8 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.10 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.25 mg |
| Niacin | 0.87 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.18 mg |
| Folate, total | 14.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 14.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 14.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 0.70 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 390 ug |
| Retinol | 11.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 4543 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 4.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 1798 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 2.2 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 481 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.72 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.07 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.40 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.14 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.0 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.97 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.02 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.0 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.91 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.11 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 2.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Lambsquarters, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt — USDA does not publish this profile for Lambsquarter.
| Tryptophan | 0.03 g |
| Threonine | 0.12 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.19 g |
| Leucine | 0.27 g |
| Lysine | 0.27 g |
| Methionine | 0.04 g |
| Cystine | 0.07 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.13 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.13 g |
| Valine | 0.17 g |
| Arginine | 0.19 g |
| Histidine | 0.09 g |
| Alanine | 0.24 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.33 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.40 g |
| Glycine | 0.19 g |
| Proline | 0.17 g |
| Serine | 0.15 g |
FAQ
Is lambsquarter the same as spinach?
No, they are different plants. Lambsquarter (Chenopodium album) is a wild edible often called 'wild spinach' due to its similar taste and use, but it belongs to the amaranth family, not the spinach family.
Can I eat lambsquarter raw?
Yes, young, tender leaves can be used raw in salads. However, cooking is recommended for mature leaves to improve digestibility and reduce oxalate content.
How do I identify it in the wild?
Look for diamond-shaped leaves with a distinctive white, mealy coating on the undersides and new growth. The stems often have pink or purple streaks. It grows as a common garden or field weed.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 0.54 kcal/g · 23% calories from protein · 2.0 g fiber · 0.6 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.53 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.