Kale vs. Tomato
Nutrition comparison of Kale and Tomato
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
kale
versus
tomato
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kale and tomato:
- Both kale and tomato are high in Vitamin C and potassium.
- Kale has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than tomato, however, tomato contains more alpha-carotene and lycopene than kale.
- Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and folate.
- Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium and dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Kale (Kale, raw) and Tomato (Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Kale and tomato contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and tomato has 18 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, kale is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to tomato per calorie. Kale has a macronutrient ratio of 27:41:32 and for tomato, 17:74:9 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Kale | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 27% | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 41% | 74% |
| Fat | 32% | 9% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both kale and tomato are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and tomato has 3.9g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kale are made of 81% dietary fiber and 19% sugar, whereas the carbs in tomato comprise of 69% sugar and 31% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 242% more dietary fiber than tomato - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and tomato has 1.2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale and tomato contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and tomato has 2.6g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale has 232% more protein than tomato - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and tomato has 0.88g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both kale and tomato are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and tomato has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both kale and tomato are high in Vitamin C. Kale has 582% more Vitamin C than tomato - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and tomato has 13.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 474% more Vitamin A than tomato - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and tomato has 42ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Kale and tomato contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and tomato has 0.54mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 48 times more Vitamin K than tomato - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and tomato has 7.9ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both kale and tomato contain significant amounts of niacin and Vitamin B6.
| Kale | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.113 MG | 0.037 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.347 MG | 0.019 MG |
| Niacin | 1.18 MG | 0.594 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.37 MG | 0.089 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.147 MG | 0.08 MG |
| Folate | 62 UG | 15 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Kale is an excellent source of calcium and it has 24 times more calcium than tomato - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and tomato has 10mg of calcium.
iron
Kale has 493% more iron than tomato - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and tomato has 0.27mg of iron.
potassium
Both kale and tomato are high in potassium. Kale has 47% more potassium than tomato - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and tomato has 237mg 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 | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 23.6 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 46.8 mg | 0.09 mg |
| Quercetin | 22.58 mg | 0.58 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.13 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, kale has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than tomato per 100 grams, however, tomato contains more alpha-carotene and lycopene than kale per 100 grams.
| Kale | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2873 UG | 449 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 6261 UG | 123 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 101 UG |
| lycopene | ~ | 2573 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than tomato per 100 grams.
| Kale | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.378 G | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.378 G | 0.003 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than tomato per 100 grams.
| Kale | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.291 G | 0.08 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.003 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.294 G | 0.08 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 Kale or Tomato .
Kale g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Tomato g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
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 % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
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 tomato contain more calories in 100 grams?Kale and tomato contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories in 100g and tomato has 18 calories.
Does kale or tomato have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both kale and tomato are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and tomato has 3.9g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kale are made of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar, whereas the carbs in tomato comprise of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber.
Does kale or tomato contain more calcium?
Kale is a rich source of calcium and it has 24 times more calcium than tomato - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and tomato has 10mg of calcium.
Does kale or tomato contain more potassium?
Both kale and tomato are high in potassium. Kale has 50% more potassium than tomato - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and tomato has 237mg of potassium.