Kale vs. Russet Potato
Nutrition comparison of Kale and Russet Potato
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
kale
versus
russet potato
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kale and russet potato:
- Both kale and russet potato are high in potassium.
- Kale has 3 times less carbohydrates than russet potato.
- Kale has 56% less calories than russet potato.
- Kale has more riboflavin and folate, however, russet potato contains more Vitamin B6.
- Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Kale (Kale, raw) and Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Kale has 56% less calories than russet potato - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and russet potato has 79 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, kale is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to russet potato per calorie. Kale has a macronutrient ratio of 28:41:31 and for russet potato, 11:89:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Kale | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 28% | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 41% | 89% |
| Fat | 31% | 1% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Kale has 3 times less carbohydrates than russet potato - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and russet potato has 18.1g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kale are made of 81% dietary fiber and 19% sugar, whereas the carbs in russet potato comprise of 89% starch, 7% dietary fiber and 3% sugar.
dietary fiber
Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 215% more dietary fiber than russet potato - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and russet potato has 1.3g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale and russet potato contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.62g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale and russet potato contain similar amounts of protein - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and russet potato has 2.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both kale and russet potato are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 15 times more Vitamin C than russet potato - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and russet potato has 5.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than russet potato - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and russet potato does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Kale and russet potato contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.01mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 215 times more Vitamin K than russet potato - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and russet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more riboflavin and folate, however, russet potato contains more Vitamin B6. Both kale and russet potato contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
| Kale | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.113 MG | 0.082 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.347 MG | 0.033 MG |
| Niacin | 1.18 MG | 1.035 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.37 MG | 0.301 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.147 MG | 0.345 MG |
| Folate | 62 UG | 14 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Kale is an excellent source of calcium and it has 18 times more calcium than russet potato - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and russet potato has 13mg of calcium.
iron
Kale has 86% more iron than russet potato - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.86mg of iron.
potassium
Both kale and russet potato are high in potassium. Russet potato has 20% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and russet potato has 417mg 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,
| Kale | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2873 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 6261 UG | 5 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than russet potato per 100 grams.
| Kale | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.378 G | 0.01 G |
| Total | 0.378 G | 0.01 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than russet potato per 100 grams.
| Kale | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.291 G | 0.032 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.003 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.294 G | 0.032 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.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Kale (Kale, raw) and Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) .
Kale g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Russet Potato g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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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 % |
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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 % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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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 russet potato contain more calories in 100 grams?Kale has 60% less calories than russet potato - kale has 35 calories in 100g and russet potato has 79 calories.
Does kale or russet potato have more carbohydrates?
By weight, kale has 3 times fewer carbohydrates than russet potato - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and russet potato has 18.1g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kale are made of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar, whereas the carbs in russet potato comprise of 90% starch, 10% dietary fiber and 0% sugar.
Does kale or russet potato contain more calcium?
Kale is a rich source of calcium and it has 18 times more calcium than russet potato - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and russet potato has 13mg of calcium.
Does kale or russet potato contain more potassium?
Both kale and russet potato are high in potassium. Russet potato has 20% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and russet potato has 417mg of potassium.