Kale vs. Parsley
Nutrition comparison of Kale and Parsley
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
kale
versus
parsley
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kale and parsley:
- Both kale and parsley are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, dietary fiber and potassium.
- Kale has more riboflavin, however, parsley contains more folate.
- Parsley is an excellent source of iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Kale (Kale, raw) and Parsley (Parsley, fresh) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Kale and parsley contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and parsley has 36 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, kale is lighter in carbs, heavier in fat and similar to parsley for protein. Kale has a macronutrient ratio of 28:41:31 and for parsley, 27:57:17 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Kale | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 28% | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 41% | 57% |
| Fat | 31% | 17% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Kale and parsley contain similar amounts of carbs - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and parsley has 6.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both kale and parsley are high in dietary fiber. Kale has 24% more dietary fiber than parsley - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and parsley has 3.3g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale and parsley contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and parsley has 0.85g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale and parsley contain similar amounts of protein - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and parsley has 3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both kale and parsley are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and parsley has 0.13g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both kale and parsley are high in Vitamin C. Parsley has 42% more Vitamin C than kale - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and parsley has 133mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both kale and parsley are high in Vitamin A. Parsley has 75% more Vitamin A than kale - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and parsley has 421ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Kale and parsley contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and parsley has 0.75mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both kale and parsley are high in Vitamin K. Parsley has 321% more Vitamin K than kale - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and parsley has 1640ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more riboflavin, however, parsley contains more folate. Both kale and parsley contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Kale | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.113 MG | 0.086 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.347 MG | 0.098 MG |
| Niacin | 1.18 MG | 1.313 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.37 MG | 0.4 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.147 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Folate | 62 UG | 152 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both kale and parsley are high in calcium. Kale has 84% more calcium than parsley - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and parsley has 138mg of calcium.
iron
Parsley is an excellent source of iron and it has 288% more iron than kale - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and parsley has 6.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both kale and parsley are high in potassium. Parsley has 59% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and parsley has 554mg 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, kale has more isorhamnetin, kaempferol and quercetin than parsley per 100 grams, however, parsley contains more apigenin, luteolin and myricetin than kale per 100 grams.
| Kale | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 23.6 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 46.8 mg | 1.49 mg |
| Quercetin | 22.58 mg | 0.28 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 215.46 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 1.09 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 14.84 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 kale and parsley contain significant amounts of beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Kale | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2873 UG | 5054 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 6261 UG | 5561 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than parsley per 100 grams.
| Kale | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.378 G | 0.008 G |
| Total | 0.378 G | 0.008 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than parsley per 100 grams.
| Kale | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.291 G | 0.115 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.003 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.294 G | 0.115 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.
Kale g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Parsley g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
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 % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
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 % |
|
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% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
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 % |
|
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 parsley contain more calories in 100 grams?Kale and parsley contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories in 100g and parsley has 36 calories.
Does kale or parsley have more carbohydrates?
By weight, kale and parsley contain similar amounts of carbs - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and parsley has 6.3g of carbohydrates.
Does kale or parsley contain more calcium?
Both kale and parsley are high in calcium. Kale has 80% more calcium than parsley - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and parsley has 138mg of calcium.
Does kale or parsley contain more iron?
Parsley is an abundant source of iron and it has 290% more iron than kale - kale has 1.6mg of iron in 100 grams and parsley has 6.2mg of iron.
Does kale or parsley contain more potassium?
Both kale and parsley are high in potassium. Parsley has 60% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and parsley has 554mg of potassium.