Kale vs. Whey Protein Powder

Nutrition comparison of Kale and Whey Protein Powder


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

We compared the nutritional contents of kale versus whey protein powder (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kale and whey protein powder:

  • Both kale and whey protein powder are high in calcium, dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
  • Whey protein powder has more thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12, however, kale contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Whey protein powder is an excellent source of protein.
Detailed nutritional comparison of kale and whey protein powder 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: Kale (Kale, raw) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Whey protein powder is high in calories and kale has 90% less calories than whey protein powder - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, kale is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to whey protein powder per calorie. Kale has a macronutrient ratio of 27:41:32 and for whey protein powder, 89:7:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Kale Whey Protein Powder
Protein 27% 89%
Carbohydrates 41% 7%
Fat 32% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Kale and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of carbs - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 6.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both kale and whey protein powder are high in dietary fiber. Kale has 32% more dietary fiber than whey protein powder - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 3.1g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Kale and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Whey protein powder is an excellent source of protein and it has 25 times more protein than kale - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both kale and whey protein powder are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 0.78g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Kale has less cholesterol than whey protein powder - whey protein powder has 16mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and kale does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has more Vitamin C than whey protein powder - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than whey protein powder - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Kale has more Vitamin E than whey protein powder - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin K

Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has more Vitamin K than whey protein powder - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Whey protein powder has more thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12, however, kale contains more pantothenic acid. Both kale and whey protein powder contain significant amounts of niacin and folate.

Kale Whey Protein Powder
Thiamin 0.113 MG 0.609 MG
Riboflavin 0.347 MG 2.017 MG
Niacin 1.18 MG 1.136 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.37 MG ~
Vitamin B6 0.147 MG 0.607 MG
Folate 62 UG 33 UG
Vitamin B12 ~ 2.45 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both kale and whey protein powder are high in calcium. Whey protein powder has 85% more calcium than kale - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

iron

Kale has 42% more iron than whey protein powder - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 1.1mg of iron.

potassium

Both kale and whey protein powder are high in potassium. Whey protein powder has 44% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 500mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than whey protein powder per 100 grams.

Kale Whey Protein Powder
alpha linoleic acid 0.378 G 0.034 G
Total 0.378 G 0.034 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both kale and whey protein powder contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.

Kale Whey Protein Powder
linoleic acid 0.291 G 0.264 G
other omega 6 0.003 G ~
Total 0.294 G 0.264 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 Whey Protein Powder .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Kale (Kale, raw) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) .

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FAQ

Does kale or whey protein powder contain more calories in 100 grams?
Whey protein powder is high in calories and kale has 90% less calories than whey protein powder - kale has 35 calories in 100g and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

Is kale or whey protein powder better for protein?
Whey protein powder is a fantastic source of protein and it has 25 times more protein than kale - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Does kale or whey protein powder have more carbohydrates?
By weight, kale and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of carbs - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and whey protein powder has 6.3g of carbohydrates.

Does kale or whey protein powder contain more calcium?
Both kale and whey protein powder are high in calcium. Whey protein powder has 90% more calcium than kale - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

Does kale or whey protein powder contain more potassium?
Both kale and whey protein powder are high in potassium. Whey protein powder has 40% more potassium than kale - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 500mg of potassium.