Apple vs. Kale

Nutrition comparison of Apple and Kale


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

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

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

  • Both kale and apple are high in dietary fiber.
  • Kale has 68% less carbohydrates than apple.
  • Kale has 9.4 times less sugar than apple.
  • Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
  • Kale has signficantly more iron than apple.
  • Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of apple 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: Apple (Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) and Kale (Kale, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Apple src
Image of Kale src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Kale and apple contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and apple has 52 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, apple is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to kale per calorie. Apple has a macronutrient ratio of 2:95:3 and for kale, 27:41:32 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Apple Kale
Protein 2% 27%
Carbohydrates 95% 41%
Fat 3% 32%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Kale has 68% less carbohydrates than apple - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and apple has 13.8g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in kale are made of 81% dietary fiber and 19% sugar, whereas the carbs in apple comprise of 81% sugar and 19% dietary fiber.

dietary fiber

Both kale and apple are high in dietary fiber. Kale has 71% more dietary fiber than apple - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and apple has 2.4g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Kale has 9.4 times less sugar than apple - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and apple has 10.4g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Kale has 10 times more protein than apple - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and apple has 0.26g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both kale and apple are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and apple has 0.03g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 19 times more Vitamin C than apple - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and apple has 4.6mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

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

Vitamin E

Kale and apple contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and apple has 0.18mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 176 times more Vitamin K than apple - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and apple has 2.2ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.

Apple Kale
Thiamin 0.017 MG 0.113 MG
Riboflavin 0.026 MG 0.347 MG
Niacin 0.091 MG 1.18 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.061 MG 0.37 MG
Vitamin B6 0.041 MG 0.147 MG
Folate 3 UG 62 UG

Minerals

calcium

Kale is an excellent source of calcium and it has 41 times more calcium than apple - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and apple has 6mg of calcium.

iron

Kale has signficantly more iron than apple - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and apple has 0.12mg of iron.

potassium

Kale is an excellent source of potassium and it has 225% more potassium than apple - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and apple has 107mg 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,

Apple Kale
luteolin 0.12 mg ~
kaempferol 0.14 mg 46.8 mg
Quercetin 4.01 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,

Apple Kale
beta-carotene 27 UG 2873 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 29 UG 6261 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Apple Kale
alpha linoleic acid 0.009 G 0.378 G
Total 0.009 G 0.378 G

omega 6s

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

Apple Kale
linoleic acid 0.043 G 0.291 G
other omega 6 ~ 0.003 G
Total 0.043 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 Apple or Kale .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Apple (Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) and Kale (Kale, raw) .

Apple g

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FAQ

Does kale or apple contain more calories in 100 grams?
Kale and apple contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories in 100g and apple has 52 calories.

Does kale or apple have more carbohydrates?
By weight, kale has 70% fewer carbohydrates than apple - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and apple has 13.8g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kale are made of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar, whereas the carbs in apple comprise of 80% sugar and 20% dietary fiber.

Does kale or apple contain more calcium?
Kale is a rich source of calcium and it has 41 times more calcium than apple - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and apple has 6mg of calcium.

Does kale or apple contain more potassium?
Kale is a rich source of potassium and it has 230% more potassium than apple - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and apple has 107mg of potassium.