Iceberg Lettuce vs. Kale
Nutrition comparison of Iceberg Lettuce and Kale
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
iceberg lettuce
versus
kale
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in iceberg lettuce and kale:
- Iceberg lettuce has 60% less calories than kale.
- Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, dietary fiber and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Iceberg lettuce has 60% less calories than kale - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 14 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, iceberg lettuce is lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to kale per calorie. Iceberg lettuce has a macronutrient ratio of 22:73:6 and for kale, 27:41:32 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Iceberg Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 22% | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 73% | 41% |
| Fat | 6% | 32% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both kale and iceberg lettuce are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kale are made of 81% dietary fiber and 19% sugar, whereas the carbs in iceberg lettuce comprise of 62% sugar and 38% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 242% more dietary fiber than iceberg lettuce - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 1.2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale has 224% more protein than iceberg lettuce - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both kale and iceberg lettuce are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.02g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 32 times more Vitamin C than iceberg lettuce - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 2.8mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 864% more Vitamin A than iceberg lettuce - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 25ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Kale and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.18mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 15 times more Vitamin K than iceberg lettuce - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 24.1ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Iceberg Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.041 MG | 0.113 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.025 MG | 0.347 MG |
| Niacin | 0.123 MG | 1.18 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.091 MG | 0.37 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.042 MG | 0.147 MG |
| Folate | 29 UG | 62 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Kale is an excellent source of calcium and it has 13 times more calcium than iceberg lettuce - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 18mg of calcium.
iron
Kale has 290% more iron than iceberg lettuce - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.41mg of iron.
potassium
Kale is an excellent source of potassium and it has 147% more potassium than iceberg lettuce - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 141mg 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,
| Iceberg Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.13 mg | ~ |
| luteolin | 0.03 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 0.15 mg | 46.8 mg |
| myricetin | 0.06 mg | ~ |
| Quercetin | 1.42 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,
| Iceberg Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 299 UG | 2873 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 4 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 277 UG | 6261 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than iceberg lettuce per 100 grams.
| Iceberg Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.052 G | 0.378 G |
| Total | 0.052 G | 0.378 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than iceberg lettuce per 100 grams.
| Iceberg Lettuce | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.021 G | 0.291 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.021 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 Iceberg Lettuce or Kale .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) .
Iceberg 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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G % | |
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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 iceberg lettuce contain more calories in 100 grams?Iceberg lettuce has 60% less calories than kale - kale has 35 calories in 100g and iceberg lettuce has 14 calories.
Does kale or iceberg lettuce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both kale and iceberg lettuce are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and iceberg lettuce has 3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kale are made of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar, whereas the carbs in iceberg lettuce comprise of 60% sugar and 40% dietary fiber.
Does kale or iceberg lettuce contain more calcium?
Kale is a rich source of calcium and it has 13 times more calcium than iceberg lettuce - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 18mg of calcium.
Does kale or iceberg lettuce contain more potassium?
Kale is a rich source of potassium and it has 150% more potassium than iceberg lettuce - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 141mg of potassium.