Brussels Sprouts vs. Kale
Nutrition comparison of Brussels Sprouts and Kale
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
brussels sprouts
versus
kale
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in brussels sprouts and kale:
- Both kale and brussels sprouts are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, dietary fiber and potassium.
- Kale has more riboflavin.
- Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Brussels Sprouts (Brussels sprouts, raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Kale and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 43 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, brussels sprouts is much heavier in carbs, much lighter in fat and similar to kale for protein. Brussels sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 26:68:6 and for kale, 28:41:31 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Brussels Sprouts | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 26% | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 68% | 41% |
| Fat | 6% | 31% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Kale and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of carbs - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both kale and brussels sprouts are high in dietary fiber. Kale has a little more dietary fiber (8%) than brussels sprout by weight - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 2.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of protein - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both kale and brussels sprouts are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 0.06g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both kale and brussels sprouts are high in Vitamin C. Kale has a little more Vitamin C (10%) than brussels sprout by weight - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 85mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 534% more Vitamin A than brussels sprout - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 38ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Kale and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 0.88mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both kale and brussels sprouts are high in Vitamin K. Kale has 120% more Vitamin K than brussels sprout - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 177ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more riboflavin. Both brussels sprouts and kale contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Brussels Sprouts | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.139 MG | 0.113 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.09 MG | 0.347 MG |
| Niacin | 0.745 MG | 1.18 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.309 MG | 0.37 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.219 MG | 0.147 MG |
| Folate | 61 UG | 62 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both kale and brussels sprouts are high in calcium. Kale has 505% more calcium than brussels sprout - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 42mg of calcium.
iron
Kale and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of iron - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 1.4mg of iron.
potassium
Both kale and brussels sprouts are high in potassium. Brussels sprout has 12% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 389mg 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, brussels sprout has more luteolin than kale per 100 grams, however, kale contains more kaempferol, quercetin and isorhamnetin than brussels sprout per 100 grams.
| Brussels Sprouts | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.33 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 0.86 mg | 46.8 mg |
| Quercetin | 1.92 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,
| Brussels Sprouts | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 450 UG | 2873 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1590 UG | 6261 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than brussels sprout per 100 grams.
| Brussels Sprouts | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.099 G | 0.378 G |
| Total | 0.099 G | 0.378 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than brussels sprout per 100 grams.
| Brussels Sprouts | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.045 G | 0.291 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.001 G | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.046 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: Brussels Sprouts (Brussels sprouts, raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) .
Brussels Sprouts g
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Daily Values (%) |
Kale g
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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% | 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% |
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| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does kale or brussels sprouts contain more calories in 100 grams?Kale and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories in 100g and brussels sprout has 43 calories.
Does kale or brussels sprouts have more carbohydrates?
By weight, kale and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of carbs - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and brussels sprout has 9g of carbohydrates.
Does kale or brussels sprouts contain more calcium?
Both kale and brussels sprouts are high in calcium. Kale has 510% more calcium than brussels sprout - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and brussels sprout has 42mg of calcium.
Does kale or brussels sprouts contain more potassium?
Both kale and brussels sprouts are high in potassium. Brussels sprout has 10% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and brussels sprout has 389mg of potassium.