Butterhead Lettuce vs. Kale
Nutrition comparison of Butterhead Lettuce and Kale
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
butterhead lettuce
versus
kale
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in butterhead lettuce and kale:
- Both kale and butterhead lettuce are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin K and potassium.
- Butterhead lettuce has 63% less calories than kale.
- Kale has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
- Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C, calcium and dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Butterhead Lettuce (Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Butterhead lettuce has 63% less calories than kale - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 13 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, butterhead lettuce is heavier in protein, heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to kale per calorie. Butterhead lettuce has a macronutrient ratio of 33:57:11 and for kale, 28:41:31 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Butterhead Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 33% | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 57% | 41% |
| Fat | 11% | 31% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both kale and butterhead lettuce are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 2.2g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kale are made of 81% dietary fiber and 19% sugar, whereas the carbs in butterhead lettuce comprise of 54% dietary fiber and 46% sugar.
dietary fiber
Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 273% more dietary fiber than butterhead lettuce - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 0.94g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of protein - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both kale and butterhead lettuce are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 24 times more Vitamin C than butterhead lettuce - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 3.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both kale and butterhead lettuce are high in Vitamin A. Kale has 45% more Vitamin A than butterhead lettuce - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 166ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Kale and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 0.18mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both kale and butterhead lettuce are high in Vitamin K. Kale has 281% more Vitamin K than butterhead lettuce - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 102.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. Both butterhead lettuce and kale contain significant amounts of thiamin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Butterhead Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.057 MG | 0.113 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.062 MG | 0.347 MG |
| Niacin | 0.357 MG | 1.18 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.15 MG | 0.37 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.082 MG | 0.147 MG |
| Folate | 73 UG | 62 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Kale is an excellent source of calcium and it has 626% more calcium than butterhead lettuce - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 35mg of calcium.
iron
Kale and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of iron - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both kale and butterhead lettuce are high in potassium. Kale has 46% more potassium than butterhead lettuce - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 238mg 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,
| Butterhead Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| kaempferol | 0.02 mg | 46.8 mg |
| Quercetin | 2.73 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 butterhead lettuce and kale contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Butterhead Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 1987 UG | 2873 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1223 UG | 6261 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than butterhead lettuce per 100 grams.
| Butterhead Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.083 G | 0.378 G |
| Total | 0.083 G | 0.378 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than butterhead lettuce per 100 grams.
| Butterhead Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.034 G | 0.291 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.034 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: Butterhead Lettuce (Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) .
Butterhead Lettuce g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Kale g
()
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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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% | copper | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does kale or butterhead lettuce contain more calories in 100 grams?Butterhead lettuce has 60% less calories than kale - kale has 35 calories in 100g and butterhead lettuce has 13 calories.
Is kale or butterhead lettuce better for protein?
Kale and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of protein - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.4g of protein.
Does kale or butterhead lettuce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both kale and butterhead lettuce are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and butterhead lettuce has 2.2g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kale are made of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar, whereas the carbs in butterhead lettuce comprise of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar.
Does kale or butterhead lettuce contain more calcium?
Kale is a rich source of calcium and it has 630% more calcium than butterhead lettuce - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 35mg of calcium.
Does kale or butterhead lettuce contain more potassium?
Both kale and butterhead lettuce are high in potassium. Kale has 50% more potassium than butterhead lettuce - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 238mg of potassium.