Kale vs. Zucchini
Nutrition comparison of Kale and Zucchini
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
kale
versus
zucchini
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kale and zucchini:
- Both kale and zucchini are high in Vitamin C and potassium.
- Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate.
- Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium and dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Kale (Kale, raw) and Zucchini (Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Kale and zucchini contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories per 100 grams and zucchini has 17 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, kale is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to zucchini per calorie. Kale has a macronutrient ratio of 28:41:31 and for zucchini, 24:62:14 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Kale | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 28% | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 41% | 62% |
| Fat | 31% | 14% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both kale and zucchini are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and zucchini has 3.1g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kale are made of 81% dietary fiber and 19% sugar, whereas the carbs in zucchini comprise of 71% sugar and 29% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Kale is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 310% more dietary fiber than zucchini - kale has 4.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and zucchini has 1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Kale and zucchini contain similar amounts of sugar - kale has 0.99g of sugar per 100 grams and zucchini has 2.5g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kale has 141% more protein than zucchini - kale has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and zucchini has 1.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both kale and zucchini are low in saturated fat - kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and zucchini has 0.08g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both kale and zucchini are high in Vitamin C. Kale has 422% more Vitamin C than zucchini - kale has 93.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and zucchini has 17.9mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 23 times more Vitamin A than zucchini - kale has 241ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and zucchini has 10ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Kale and zucchini contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kale has 0.66mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and zucchini has 0.12mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kale is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 89 times more Vitamin K than zucchini - kale has 389.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and zucchini has 4.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kale has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate. Both kale and zucchini contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Kale | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.113 MG | 0.045 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.347 MG | 0.094 MG |
| Niacin | 1.18 MG | 0.451 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.37 MG | 0.204 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.147 MG | 0.163 MG |
| Folate | 62 UG | 24 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Kale is an excellent source of calcium and it has 14 times more calcium than zucchini - kale has 254mg of calcium per 100 grams and zucchini has 16mg of calcium.
iron
Kale has 332% more iron than zucchini - kale has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and zucchini has 0.37mg of iron.
potassium
Both kale and zucchini are high in potassium. Kale has 33% more potassium than zucchini - kale has 348mg of potassium per 100 grams and zucchini has 261mg 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,
| Kale | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 23.6 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 46.8 mg | ~ |
| Quercetin | 22.58 mg | 0.66 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 | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2873 UG | 120 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 6261 UG | 2125 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, kale has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than zucchini per 100 grams.
| Kale | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.378 G | 0.061 G |
| Total | 0.378 G | 0.061 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, kale has more linoleic acid than zucchini per 100 grams.
| Kale | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.291 G | 0.03 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.001 G |
| Total | 0.291 G | 0.031 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.
Kale g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Zucchini 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 % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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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 % |
|
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 kale or zucchini contain more calories in 100 grams?Kale and zucchini contain similar amounts of calories - kale has 35 calories in 100g and zucchini has 17 calories.
Does kale or zucchini have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both kale and zucchini are low in carbohydrates - kale has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and zucchini has 3.1g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kale are made of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar, whereas the carbs in zucchini comprise of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber.
Does kale or zucchini contain more calcium?
Kale is a rich source of calcium and it has 14 times more calcium than zucchini - kale has 254mg of calcium in 100 grams and zucchini has 16mg of calcium.
Does kale or zucchini contain more potassium?
Both kale and zucchini are high in potassium. Kale has 30% more potassium than zucchini - kale has 348mg of potassium in 100 grams and zucchini has 261mg of potassium.