Kale vs. Spirulina

Nutrition comparison of Kale and Spirulina


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

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

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

  • Both kale and spirulina are high in calcium, dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Kale has 13.8 times less saturated fat than spirulina.
  • Kale has 4.4 times less carbohydrates than spirulina.
  • Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
  • Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
  • Spirulina is an excellent source of iron and protein.
Detailed nutritional comparison of kale and spirulina 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: Kale (Kale, raw) and Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Kale src
Image of Spirulina src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Spirulina is high in calories and kale has 88% less calories than spirulina - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and spirulina has 290 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, kale is much lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to spirulina per calorie. Kale has a macronutrient ratio of 27:41:32 and for spirulina, 58:24:18 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Kale Spirulina
Protein 27% 58%
Carbohydrates 41% 24%
Fat 32% 18%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Kale has 4.4 times less carbohydrates than spirulina - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and spirulina has 23.9g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both kale and spirulina are high in dietary fiber. Kale has 14% more dietary fiber than spirulina - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and spirulina has 3.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Kale and spirulina contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and spirulina has 3.1g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spirulina is an excellent source of protein and it has 18 times more protein than kale - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and spirulina has 57.5g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Kale has 13.8 times less saturated fat than spirulina - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and spirulina has 2.7g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 825% more Vitamin C than spirulina - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and spirulina has 10.1mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 731% more Vitamin A than spirulina - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and spirulina has 29ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Spirulina has 658% more Vitamin E than kale - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and spirulina has 5mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 14 times more Vitamin K than spirulina - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and spirulina has 25.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Kale Spirulina
Thiamin 0.113 MG 2.38 MG
Riboflavin 0.347 MG 3.67 MG
Niacin 1.18 MG 12.82 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.37 MG 3.48 MG
Vitamin B6 0.147 MG 0.364 MG
Folate 62 UG 94 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both kale and spirulina are high in calcium. Kale has 112% more calcium than spirulina - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and spirulina has 120mg of calcium.

iron

Spirulina is an excellent source of iron and it has 16 times more iron than kale - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and spirulina has 28.5mg of iron.

potassium

Both kale and spirulina are high in potassium. Spirulina has 292% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and spirulina has 1363mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

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 Spirulina
beta-carotene 2873 UG 342 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 6261 UG ~

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Kale Spirulina
alpha linoleic acid 0.378 G 0.823 G
Total 0.378 G 0.823 G

omega 6s

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

Kale Spirulina
linoleic acid 0.291 G 1.254 G
other omega 6 0.003 G ~
Total 0.294 G 1.254 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 Kale or Spirulina .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Kale (Kale, raw) and Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) .

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FAQ

Does kale or spirulina contain more calories in 100 grams?
Spirulina is high in calories and kale has 90% less calories than spirulina - kale has 35 calories in 100g and spirulina has 290 calories.

Is kale or spirulina better for protein?
Spirulina is a fantastic source of protein and it has 18 times more protein than kale - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and spirulina has 57.5g of protein.

Does kale or spirulina have more carbohydrates?
By weight, kale has 4.4 times fewer carbohydrates than spirulina - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and spirulina has 23.9g of carbohydrates.

Does kale or spirulina contain more calcium?
Both kale and spirulina are high in calcium. Kale has 110% more calcium than spirulina - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and spirulina has 120mg of calcium.

Does kale or spirulina contain more iron?
Spirulina is an abundant source of iron and it has 16 times more iron than kale - kale has 1.6mg of iron in 100 grams and spirulina has 28.5mg of iron.

Does kale or spirulina contain more potassium?
Both kale and spirulina are high in potassium. Spirulina has 290% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and spirulina has 1363mg of potassium.