Watermelon vs. Kale
Nutrition comparison of Watermelon and Kale
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
watermelon
versus
kale
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in watermelon and kale:
- Kale has 5.2 times less sugar than watermelon.
- Kale has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than watermelon, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than kale.
- Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, 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: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Watermelon and kale contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories per 100 grams and kale has 35 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, watermelon is lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to kale per calorie. Watermelon has a macronutrient ratio of 7:88:5 and for kale, 27:41:32 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Watermelon | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 7% | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 88% | 41% |
| Fat | 5% | 32% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watermelon and kale contain similar amounts of carbs - watermelon has 7.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and kale has 4.4g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in watermelon are made of 94% sugar and 6% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in kale comprise of 81% dietary fiber and 19% sugar.
dietary fiber
Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 925% more dietary fiber than watermelon - watermelon has 0.4g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale has 5.2 times less sugar than watermelon - watermelon has 6.2g of sugar per 100 grams and kale has 0.99g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale has 379% more protein than watermelon - watermelon has 0.61g of protein per 100 grams and kale has 2.9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both watermelon and kale are low in saturated fat - watermelon has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and kale has 0.18g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 10 times more Vitamin C than watermelon - watermelon has 8.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 761% more Vitamin A than watermelon - watermelon has 28ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and kale has 241ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Watermelon and kale contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watermelon has 0.05mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 3895 times more Vitamin K than watermelon - watermelon has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both watermelon and kale contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid.
| Watermelon | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.033 MG | 0.113 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.021 MG | 0.347 MG |
| Niacin | 0.178 MG | 1.18 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.221 MG | 0.37 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.045 MG | 0.147 MG |
| Folate | 3 UG | 62 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Kale is an excellent source of calcium and it has 35 times more calcium than watermelon - watermelon has 7mg of calcium per 100 grams and kale has 254mg of calcium.
iron
Kale has 567% more iron than watermelon - watermelon has 0.24mg of iron per 100 grams and kale has 1.6mg of iron.
potassium
Kale is an excellent source of potassium and it has 211% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium per 100 grams and kale has 348mg 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, watermelon has more luteolin than kale per 100 grams, however, kale contains more kaempferol, isorhamnetin and quercetin than watermelon per 100 grams.
| Watermelon | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.46 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 0.45 mg | 46.8 mg |
| isorhamnetin | ~ | 23.6 mg |
| Quercetin | ~ | 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, kale has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than watermelon per 100 grams, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than kale per 100 grams.
| Watermelon | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 303 UG | 2873 UG |
| lycopene | 4532 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 8 UG | 6261 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than watermelon per 100 grams.
| Watermelon | Kale | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.05 G | 0.291 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.05 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 Watermelon or Kale .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Kale (Kale, raw) .
Watermelon g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Kale g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
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 % |
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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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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
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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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| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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| UG % |
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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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| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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UG % | |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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MG % | |
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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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| UG % |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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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 watermelon or kale contain more calories in 100 grams?Watermelon and kale contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories in 100g and kale has 35 calories.
Does watermelon or kale have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watermelon and kale contain similar amounts of carbs - watermelon has 7.6g of carbs for 100g and kale has 4.4g of carbohydrates. the carbs in watermelon are made of 90% sugar and 10% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in kale comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.
Does watermelon or kale contain more calcium?
Kale is a rich source of calcium and it has 35 times more calcium than watermelon - watermelon has 7mg of calcium in 100 grams and kale has 254mg of calcium.
Does watermelon or kale contain more potassium?
Kale is a rich source of potassium and it has 210% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium in 100 grams and kale has 348mg of potassium.