Arugula vs. Kale
Nutrition comparison of Arugula and Kale
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
arugula
versus
kale
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in arugula and kale:
- Both kale and arugula are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
- Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin.
- Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Arugula (Arugula, raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Kale and arugula contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and arugula has 25 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, arugula is much heavier in protein, heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to kale per calorie. Arugula has a macronutrient ratio of 50:50:0 and for kale, 28:41:31 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Arugula | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 50% | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 50% | 41% |
| Fat | ~ | 31% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both kale and arugula are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and arugula has 3.7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kale are made of 81% dietary fiber and 19% sugar, whereas the carbs in arugula comprise of 56% sugar and 44% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 156% more dietary fiber than arugula - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and arugula has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale and arugula contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and arugula has 2.1g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale and arugula contain similar amounts of protein - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and arugula has 2.6g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both kale and arugula are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and arugula has 0.09g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both kale and arugula are high in Vitamin C. Kale has 523% more Vitamin C than arugula - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and arugula has 15mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both kale and arugula are high in Vitamin A. Kale has 103% more Vitamin A than arugula - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and arugula has 119ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Kale and arugula contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and arugula has 0.43mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both kale and arugula are high in Vitamin K. Kale has 259% more Vitamin K than arugula - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and arugula has 108.6ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. Both arugula and kale contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Arugula | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.044 MG | 0.113 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.086 MG | 0.347 MG |
| Niacin | 0.305 MG | 1.18 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.437 MG | 0.37 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.073 MG | 0.147 MG |
| Folate | 97 UG | 62 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both kale and arugula are high in calcium. Kale has 59% more calcium than arugula - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and arugula has 160mg of calcium.
iron
Kale and arugula contain similar amounts of iron - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and arugula has 1.5mg of iron.
potassium
Both kale and arugula are high in potassium. Kale is very similar to kale for potassium - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and arugula has 369mg 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, both arugula and kale contain significant amounts of kaempferol.
| Arugula | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 4.3 mg | 23.6 mg |
| kaempferol | 34.89 mg | 46.8 mg |
| Quercetin | 7.92 mg | 22.58 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 arugula and kale contain significant amounts of lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Arugula | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 1424 UG | 2873 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 3555 UG | 6261 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than arugula per 100 grams.
| Arugula | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.17 G | 0.378 G |
| Total | 0.17 G | 0.378 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than arugula per 100 grams.
| Arugula | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.13 G | 0.291 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.002 G | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.132 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.
Arugula g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Kale g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
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 % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
| MG % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does kale or arugula contain more calories in 100 grams?Kale and arugula contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories in 100g and arugula has 25 calories.
Is kale or arugula better for protein?
Kale and arugula contain similar amounts of protein - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and arugula has 2.6g of protein.
Does kale or arugula have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both kale and arugula are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and arugula has 3.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kale are made of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar, whereas the carbs in arugula comprise of 60% sugar and 40% dietary fiber.
Does kale or arugula contain more calcium?
Both kale and arugula are high in calcium. Kale has 60% more calcium than arugula - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and arugula has 160mg of calcium.
Does kale or arugula contain more potassium?
Both kale and arugula are high in potassium. Kale is very similar to kale for potassium - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and arugula has 369mg of potassium.