Banana vs. Kale

Nutrition comparison of Banana and Kale


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of banana versus kale (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in banana and kale:

  • Both kale and banana are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Kale has 11.3 times less sugar than banana.
  • Kale has 4.1 times less carbohydrates than banana.
  • Kale has 61% less calories than banana.
  • Kale has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than banana, however, banana contains more alpha-carotene than kale.
  • Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin and folate, however, banana contains more Vitamin B6.
  • Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and calcium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of banana and kale is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Banana (Bananas, raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Banana src
Image of Kale src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Kale has 61% less calories than banana - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and banana has 89 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, banana is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to kale per calorie. Banana has a macronutrient ratio of 5:93:3 and for kale, 27:41:32 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Banana Kale
Protein 5% 27%
Carbohydrates 93% 41%
Fat 3% 32%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Kale has 4.1 times less carbohydrates than banana - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and banana has 22.8g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both kale and banana are high in dietary fiber. Kale has 58% more dietary fiber than banana - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and banana has 2.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Kale has 11.3 times less sugar than banana - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and banana has 12.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Kale has 168% more protein than banana - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and banana has 1.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both kale and banana are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and banana has 0.11g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 974% more Vitamin C than banana - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and banana has 8.7mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 79 times more Vitamin A than banana - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and banana has 3ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Kale and banana contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and banana has 0.1mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 778 times more Vitamin K than banana - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and banana has 0.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin and folate, however, banana contains more Vitamin B6. Both banana and kale contain significant amounts of niacin and pantothenic acid.

Banana Kale
Thiamin 0.031 MG 0.113 MG
Riboflavin 0.073 MG 0.347 MG
Niacin 0.665 MG 1.18 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.334 MG 0.37 MG
Vitamin B6 0.367 MG 0.147 MG
Folate 20 UG 62 UG

Minerals

calcium

Kale is an excellent source of calcium and it has 49 times more calcium than banana - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and banana has 5mg of calcium.

iron

Kale has 515% more iron than banana - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and banana has 0.26mg of iron.

potassium

Both kale and banana are high in potassium. Kale is very similar to kale for potassium - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and banana has 358mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

flavonoids

Naturally occuring in fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are associated with many health benefits and used in a variety of medicinal and pharmaceutical applications. [2][3]

For specific flavonoid compounds,

Banana Kale
kaempferol 0.11 mg 46.8 mg
myricetin 0.01 mg ~
Quercetin 0.06 mg 22.58 mg
isorhamnetin ~ 23.6 mg

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids, kale has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than banana per 100 grams, however, banana contains more alpha-carotene than kale per 100 grams.

Banana Kale
beta-carotene 26 UG 2873 UG
alpha-carotene 25 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 22 UG 6261 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than banana per 100 grams.

Banana Kale
alpha linoleic acid 0.027 G 0.378 G
Total 0.027 G 0.378 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than banana per 100 grams.

Banana Kale
linoleic acid 0.046 G 0.291 G
other omega 6 ~ 0.003 G
Total 0.046 G 0.294 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Banana or Kale .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Banana (Bananas, raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) .

Banana g

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FAQ

Does kale or banana contain more calories in 100 grams?
Kale has 60% less calories than banana - kale has 35 calories in 100g and banana has 89 calories.

Does kale or banana have more carbohydrates?
By weight, kale has 4.1 times fewer carbohydrates than banana - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and banana has 22.8g of carbohydrates.

Does kale or banana contain more calcium?
Kale is a rich source of calcium and it has 49 times more calcium than banana - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and banana has 5mg of calcium.

Does kale or banana contain more potassium?
Both kale and banana are high in potassium. Kale is very similar to kale for potassium - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and banana has 358mg of potassium.