Bok Choy vs. Kale
Nutrition comparison of Bok Choy and Kale
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
bok choy
versus
kale
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in bok choy and kale:
- Both kale and bok choy are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium and potassium.
- Bok choy has 63% less calories than kale.
- Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.
- Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Bok Choy (Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Bok choy has 63% less calories than kale - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and bok choy has 13 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, bok choy is heavier in protein, heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to kale per calorie. Bok choy has a macronutrient ratio of 36:53:11 and for kale, 27:41:32 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Bok Choy | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 36% | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 53% | 41% |
| Fat | 11% | 32% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both kale and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kale are made of 81% dietary fiber and 19% sugar, whereas the carbs in bok choy comprise of 54% sugar and 46% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 310% more dietary fiber than bok choy - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and bok choy has 1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale and bok choy contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both kale and bok choy are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both kale and bok choy are high in Vitamin C. Kale has 108% more Vitamin C than bok choy - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and bok choy has 45mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both kale and bok choy are high in Vitamin A. Kale has a little more Vitamin A (8%) than bok choy by weight - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and bok choy has 223ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Kale and bok choy contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.09mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 756% more Vitamin K than bok choy - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and bok choy has 45.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid. Both bok choy and kale contain significant amounts of niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Bok Choy | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.04 MG | 0.113 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.07 MG | 0.347 MG |
| Niacin | 0.5 MG | 1.18 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.088 MG | 0.37 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.194 MG | 0.147 MG |
| Folate | 66 UG | 62 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both kale and bok choy are high in calcium. Kale has 142% more calcium than bok choy - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.
iron
Kale has 100% more iron than bok choy - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.8mg of iron.
potassium
Both kale and bok choy are high in potassium. Kale has 38% more potassium than bok choy - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg 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, bok choy has more apigenin than kale per 100 grams, however, kale contains more kaempferol, quercetin and isorhamnetin than bok choy per 100 grams.
| Bok Choy | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.24 mg | ~ |
| luteolin | 0.09 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 4.33 mg | 46.8 mg |
| myricetin | 0.03 mg | ~ |
| Quercetin | 2.06 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, both bok choy and kale contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Bok Choy | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2681 UG | 2873 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 1 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 40 UG | 6261 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than bok choy per 100 grams.
| Bok Choy | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.055 G | 0.378 G |
| Total | 0.055 G | 0.378 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than bok choy per 100 grams.
| Bok Choy | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.042 G | 0.291 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.042 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 Bok Choy or Kale .
Bok Choy g
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Kale g
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does kale or bok choy contain more calories in 100 grams?Bok choy has 60% less calories than kale - kale has 35 calories in 100g and bok choy has 13 calories.
Is kale or bok choy better for protein?
Kale and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.
Does kale or bok choy have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both kale and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kale are made of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar, whereas the carbs in bok choy comprise of 50% sugar and 50% dietary fiber.
Does kale or bok choy contain more calcium?
Both kale and bok choy are high in calcium. Kale has 140% more calcium than bok choy - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.
Does kale or bok choy contain more potassium?
Both kale and bok choy are high in potassium. Kale has 40% more potassium than bok choy - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg of potassium.