Kimchi vs. Pickles
Nutrition comparison of Kimchi and Pickles
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
kimchi
versus
pickles
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kimchi and pickles:
- Kimchi is a great source of iron.
- Pickle has more thiamin and pantothenic acid, however, kimchi contains more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Pickle is a great source of calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Kimchi (Cabbage, kimchi) and Pickles (Pickles, cucumber, dill or kosher dill) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Pickles and kimchi contain similar amounts of calories - pickle has 12 calories per 100 grams and kimchi has 15 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, kimchi is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to pickles per calorie. Kimchi has a macronutrient ratio of 24:51:25 and for pickles, 14:66:20 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Kimchi | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 24% | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 51% | 66% |
| Fat | 25% | 20% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both pickles and kimchi are low in carbohydrates - pickle has 2.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and kimchi has 2.4g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in pickles are made of 52% sugar and 48% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in kimchi comprise of 60% dietary fiber and 40% sugar.
dietary fiber
Kimchi has 60% more dietary fiber than pickle - pickle has 1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Pickles and kimchi contain similar amounts of sugar - pickle has 1.1g of sugar per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.1g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Pickles and kimchi contain similar amounts of protein - pickle has 0.5g of protein per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both pickles and kimchi are low in saturated fat - pickle has 0.08g of saturated fat per 100 grams and kimchi has 0.07g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Pickle has more Vitamin C than kimchi - pickle has 2.3mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and kimchi does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Pickles and kimchi contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - pickle has 6ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and kimchi has 5ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Pickles and kimchi contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - pickle has 0.03mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and kimchi has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kimchi has 152% more Vitamin K than pickle - pickle has 17.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and kimchi has 43.6ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Pickle has more thiamin and pantothenic acid, however, kimchi contains more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Kimchi | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.01 MG | 0.045 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.21 MG | 0.057 MG |
| Niacin | 1.1 MG | 0.109 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 0.201 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.213 MG | 0.035 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 8 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Pickle is a great source of calcium and it has 73% more calcium than kimchi - pickle has 57mg of calcium per 100 grams and kimchi has 33mg of calcium.
iron
Kimchi is a great source of iron and it has 862% more iron than pickle - pickle has 0.26mg of iron per 100 grams and kimchi has 2.5mg of iron.
potassium
Pickles and kimchi contain similar amounts of potassium - pickle has 117mg of potassium per 100 grams and kimchi has 151mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
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 kimchi and pickles contain significant amounts of beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Kimchi | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 55 UG | 53 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 1 UG | 13 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 49 UG | 28 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both kimchi and pickles contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Kimchi | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.137 G | 0.07 G |
| Total | 0.137 G | 0.07 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both kimchi and pickles contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Kimchi | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.104 G | 0.052 G |
| Total | 0.104 G | 0.052 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.
Kimchi g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Pickles 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 pickles or kimchi contain more calories in 100 grams?Pickles and kimchi contain similar amounts of calories - pickle has 12 calories in 100g and kimchi has 15 calories.
Does pickles or kimchi have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both pickles and kimchi are low in carbohydrates - pickle has 2.4g of carbs for 100g and kimchi has 2.4g of carbohydrates. the carbs in pickles are made of 50% sugar and 50% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in kimchi comprise of 60% dietary fiber and 40% sugar.