Grapefruit vs. Kale

Nutrition comparison of Grapefruit and Kale


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

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

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

  • Both kale and grapefruit are high in Vitamin C.
  • Kale has 5.9 times less sugar than grapefruit.
  • Kale has 59% less carbohydrates than grapefruit.
  • Kale has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than grapefruit, however, grapefruit contains more lycopene than kale.
  • Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
  • Kale has signficantly more iron than grapefruit.
  • Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium, dietary fiber and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of grapefruit 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: Grapefruit (Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas) and Kale (Kale, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Grapefruit src
Image of Kale src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Kale and grapefruit contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and grapefruit has 42 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, grapefruit is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to kale per calorie. Grapefruit has a macronutrient ratio of 7:91:3 and for kale, 28:41:31 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Grapefruit Kale
Protein 7% 28%
Carbohydrates 91% 41%
Fat 3% 31%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Kale has 59% less carbohydrates than grapefruit - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and grapefruit has 10.7g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 156% more dietary fiber than grapefruit - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and grapefruit has 1.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Kale has 5.9 times less sugar than grapefruit - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and grapefruit has 6.9g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Kale has 279% more protein than grapefruit - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and grapefruit has 0.77g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both kale and grapefruit are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and grapefruit has 0.02g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Both kale and grapefruit are high in Vitamin C. Kale has 199% more Vitamin C than grapefruit - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and grapefruit has 31.2mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 316% more Vitamin A than grapefruit - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and grapefruit has 58ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Kale and grapefruit contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and grapefruit has 0.13mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has more Vitamin K than grapefruit - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and grapefruit does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

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

Grapefruit Kale
Thiamin 0.043 MG 0.113 MG
Riboflavin 0.031 MG 0.347 MG
Niacin 0.204 MG 1.18 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.262 MG 0.37 MG
Vitamin B6 0.053 MG 0.147 MG
Folate 13 UG 62 UG

Minerals

calcium

Kale is an excellent source of calcium and it has 10 times more calcium than grapefruit - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and grapefruit has 22mg of calcium.

iron

Kale has signficantly more iron than grapefruit - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and grapefruit has 0.08mg of iron.

potassium

Kale is an excellent source of potassium and it has 158% more potassium than grapefruit - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and grapefruit has 135mg 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, grapefruit has more luteolin than kale per 100 grams, however, kale contains more kaempferol, quercetin and isorhamnetin than grapefruit per 100 grams.

Grapefruit Kale
luteolin 0.6 mg ~
kaempferol 0.01 mg 46.8 mg
myricetin 0.01 mg ~
Quercetin 0.33 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 grapefruit per 100 grams, however, grapefruit contains more lycopene than kale per 100 grams.

Grapefruit Kale
beta-carotene 686 UG 2873 UG
alpha-carotene 3 UG ~
lycopene 1419 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 5 UG 6261 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Grapefruit Kale
alpha linoleic acid 0.008 G 0.378 G
Total 0.008 G 0.378 G

omega 6s

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

Grapefruit Kale
linoleic acid 0.029 G 0.291 G
other omega 6 ~ 0.003 G
Total 0.029 G 0.294 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Grapefruit (Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas) and Kale (Kale, raw) .

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FAQ

Does kale or grapefruit contain more calories in 100 grams?
Kale and grapefruit contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories in 100g and grapefruit has 42 calories.

Does kale or grapefruit have more carbohydrates?
By weight, kale has 60% fewer carbohydrates than grapefruit - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and grapefruit has 10.7g of carbohydrates.

Does kale or grapefruit contain more calcium?
Kale is a rich source of calcium and it has 10 times more calcium than grapefruit - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and grapefruit has 22mg of calcium.

Does kale or grapefruit contain more potassium?
Kale is a rich source of potassium and it has 160% more potassium than grapefruit - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and grapefruit has 135mg of potassium.