Kimchi vs. Romaine Lettuce

Nutrition comparison of Kimchi and Romaine Lettuce


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of kimchi versus romaine lettuce (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kimchi and romaine lettuce:

  • Kimchi is a great source of iron.
  • Romaine lettuce has more thiamin, pantothenic acid and folate, however, kimchi contains more riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B6.
  • Romaine lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K, dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
Detailed nutritional comparison of kimchi and romaine lettuce is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Kimchi (Cabbage, kimchi) and Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Kimchi src
Image of Romaine Lettuce src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Romaine lettuce and kimchi contain similar amounts of calories - romaine lettuce has 17 calories per 100 grams and kimchi has 15 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, kimchi is lighter in carbs, heavier in fat and similar to romaine lettuce for protein. Kimchi has a macronutrient ratio of 24:52:24 and for romaine lettuce, 23:64:13 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Kimchi Romaine Lettuce
Protein 24% 23%
Carbohydrates 52% 64%
Fat 24% 13%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both romaine lettuce and kimchi are low in carbohydrates - romaine lettuce has 3.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and kimchi has 2.4g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in romaine lettuce are made of 64% dietary fiber and 36% sugar, whereas the carbs in kimchi comprise of 60% dietary fiber and 40% sugar.

dietary fiber

Romaine lettuce is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 31% more dietary fiber than kimchi - romaine lettuce has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Romaine lettuce and kimchi contain similar amounts of sugar - romaine lettuce has 1.2g of sugar per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.1g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Romaine lettuce and kimchi contain similar amounts of protein - romaine lettuce has 1.2g of protein per 100 grams and kimchi has 1.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both romaine lettuce and kimchi are low in saturated fat - romaine lettuce has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and kimchi has 0.07g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Romaine lettuce has more Vitamin C than kimchi - romaine lettuce has 4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and kimchi does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 86 times more Vitamin A than kimchi - romaine lettuce has 436ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and kimchi has 5ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Romaine lettuce and kimchi contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - romaine lettuce has 0.13mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and kimchi has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Romaine lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K and it has 135% more Vitamin K than kimchi - romaine lettuce has 102.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and kimchi has 43.6ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Romaine lettuce has more thiamin, pantothenic acid and folate, however, kimchi contains more riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B6.

Kimchi Romaine Lettuce
Thiamin 0.01 MG 0.072 MG
Riboflavin 0.21 MG 0.067 MG
Niacin 1.1 MG 0.313 MG
Pantothenic acid ~ 0.142 MG
Vitamin B6 0.213 MG 0.074 MG
Folate 52 UG 136 UG

Minerals

calcium

Romaine lettuce and kimchi contain similar amounts of calcium - romaine lettuce has 33mg of calcium per 100 grams and kimchi has 33mg of calcium.

iron

Kimchi is a great source of iron and it has 158% more iron than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 0.97mg of iron per 100 grams and kimchi has 2.5mg of iron.

potassium

Romaine lettuce is a great source of potassium and it has 64% more potassium than kimchi - romaine lettuce has 247mg 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,

Kimchi Romaine Lettuce
beta-carotene 55 UG 5226 UG
alpha-carotene 1 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 49 UG 2312 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, both kimchi and romaine lettuce contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Kimchi Romaine Lettuce
alpha linoleic acid 0.137 G 0.113 G
Total 0.137 G 0.113 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kimchi has more linoleic acid than romaine lettuce per 100 grams.

Kimchi Romaine Lettuce
linoleic acid 0.104 G 0.047 G
Total 0.104 G 0.047 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 Kimchi or Romaine Lettuce .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Kimchi (Cabbage, kimchi) and Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) .

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FAQ

Does romaine lettuce or kimchi contain more calories in 100 grams?
Romaine lettuce and kimchi contain similar amounts of calories - romaine lettuce has 17 calories in 100g and kimchi has 15 calories.

Does romaine lettuce or kimchi have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both romaine lettuce and kimchi are low in carbohydrates - romaine lettuce has 3.3g of carbs for 100g and kimchi has 2.4g of carbohydrates. the carbs in romaine lettuce are made of 60% dietary fiber and 40% sugar, whereas the carbs in kimchi comprise of 60% dietary fiber and 40% sugar.

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