Marrow-stem Kale vs. Chard raw — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison
Summary
Chard has a richer mineral profile, whereas marrow stem kale has a richer vitamin profile. Marrow-stem kale is richer in fibers. They have different taste profiles and are not advised when taking anticoagulant drugs.
Table of contents
Introduction
Chards are leafy green vegetables that are also known as Swiss chards. Chard originated in the Mediterranean region, and some data shows that it was initially cultivated in Sicily. Chard has numerous health benefits, and it is rich in vitamins and minerals. It has been part of the human food cycle for centuries.
In comparison to chards, we will be discussing marrow-stem kale. Marrow-stem kale belongs to the family of cabbages. It has been part of the human cycle since 2000 BCE. Marrow-stem kale originated in minor Asia. It also provides numerous health benefits and is rich in vitamins and minerals.
In this article, we will discuss the differences between chard and marrow stem kale, considering their general differences, nutritional content differences, diet, weight loss, health impacts, and downsides.
What are the main general differences?
The general differences are common differences unrelated to their nutritional content and health impacts; these are shelf life, price, taste and flavor, and culinary world usage.
Shelf life
Chard is stem vegetables that don’t have very long shelf lives. They are often used right after cultivation since they become wilted quickly.
Marrow-stem kale has a longer shelf life comparatively. However, it is not considered very long.
Price
Chard and marrow stem kale are both considered cheap and available vegetables all around. They are easy to grow and cultivate.
Taste and flavor
Chards have earthy and mild flavors, and there is a difference between the flavor of the leaves and the stems. Stems usually have a similar taste to beetroot, only milder. Leaves are slightly bitter.
On the other hand, marrow-stem kale has a different taste profile, it has a strong, sharp, earthy taste, and in addition to that, the leaves are dryer in comparison to chard.
Culinary world usage
One of the most important features in preparing both these vegetables is their method of preparation. Since cooking them on high heat will destroy most of their nutritive properties, it is advised to be eaten in their raw form or cooked in low heat (steaming) to change their integrity to make them easier to consume.
Chard and marrow stem kale can be used interchangeably, and they can be used in salads, cooking (mostly chard stems), and steamed with other vegetables.
Nutritional content comparison
In this section of the article, we will be comparing the nutritional content of chard and marrow-stem kale according to 100g of each food unless stated otherwise.
Glycemic index
Chard and marrow-stem kale have equal glycemic indices, which are equal to 32. They are categorized as low glycemic index foods.
Calories
Chard and marrow-stem kale are very low in calories. However, it is important to note that chard contains fewer calories than marrow-stem kale.
Water content and macronutrients
Nearly 90% of their weight is water; the rest is distributed among macro and micronutrients. However, chard is higher in water. Marrow-stem kale is richer in carbs and proteins. Please, read more in the corresponding sections.
Macronutrient Comparison
Carbs
Marrow-stem kale contains nearly two times more carbs than chards. However, the amount of carbs is not very high for both foods.
Fibers
Marrow-stem kale is richer in fiber and contains nearly 2.5 times more fiber than chards.
Proteins
Marrow-stem kale contains more proteins than chard; however, these amounts don’t have nutritional relevance since they are not very high.
Fats
Both have low amounts of fats, considerably negligible.
Vitamins
Marrow-stem kale has a richer and more versatile vitamin profile than chard. It is important to note that both these foods are very rich in vitamins.
Marrow-stem kale is richer in B-complex vitamins, most importantly folate, vitamin E, and C. 300g of marrow-stem kale can satisfy the daily RDV of vitamins K, folate, C, and A.
On the other hand, chard is richer in vitamins A and K. 300g of chard can satisfy the RDV of vitamins A, K, and C.
Below we can see the vitamin coverage chart that highlights the difference between the vitamin profile of both these foods.
Vitamin Comparison
Minerals
Chard is richer in phosphorus, magnesium, copper, potassium, and iron. However, it is also higher in sodium. On the other hand, marrow-stem kale is higher in calcium and lower in sodium.
Below we can see the difference between their mineral profiles.
Mineral Comparison
Diet and weight loss
Chard and marrow-stem kale are low in calories, carbs, and fats, and they have rich vitamin and mineral profiles in addition to the rich fiber content in marrow-stem kale. They can be added to salads or cooked with a balanced meal rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers. Chard and marrow-stem kale is recommended to be added to everyday diets.
Vegan
Chard and marrow-stem kale are recommended in the vegan diet since they provide a great source of minerals and vitamins. Each has different vitamin and mineral profiles which can be seen in the previous parts of the text.
Keto
Chards have versatile usage in the keto diet. There are multiple salads done with chards, like bacon and steamed chard salad, or sauteed chard recipes with other vegetables. Marrow-stem kale is also used in the keto diet. Both chard and marrow-stem kale bring balance to a keto dish by providing vitamins and minerals associated with other foods that provide the macronutrients.
Health impacts
Antioxidative properties
Chards are rich in flavonoids and phenolic compounds. These compounds provide antioxidative properties to chards that overall reduce oxidation and inflammation in the body. Marrow stem kale is rich in phenolic compounds, which also provide antioxidative properties. (1)(2)
Cardiovascular benefits
Consumption of both chard and marrow stem kale has cardioprotective properties. It reduces the risks of all types of cardiovascular diseases, mainly atherosclerosis. It is also recommended to add these vegetables to the daily meal plan to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease (3). In addition to that, chard has antihypertensive properties (4).
Diabetes and metabolic health
Chard compounds have a hepatoprotective role against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease during type 2 diabetes. At least half of diabetic patients, if the blood sugar levels are unregulated, will suffer from fatty liver disease. Chard also has hypoglycemic properties, which function in controlling spikes of blood sugar levels (4) (5).
Controlling blood sugar levels and preventing spikes in plasma glucose levels is one of the most important factors in preventing the risks of type 2 diabetes. Consumption of marrow stem kale shows low plasma glucose levels after meal consumption compared to the lack of marrow stem kale intake. Thus overall, marrow stem kale reduces the risks of developing type 2 diabetes (6).
Cancer
Chard extract has anti-mitotic activities against breast cancer cells and overall inhibition of cancer mitogenic activities. Meaning that chard has a protective role against breast cancer (7).
On the other hand, marrow stem kale has hepatoprotective activity against aflatoxin liver cell damage. Aflatoxin is a carcinogenic agent produced by certain molds that have liver cell carcinogenicity. Thus marrow stem kale extract has a protective function against aflatoxin-induced cancer (8).
Downsides
However, chards contain phytophenolic compounds, which have anticholinesterase activity. High amounts of chards shouldn’t be given to people who suffer from myasthenia gravis since they take medications that inhibit anticholinesterase.
Marrow-stem kale should also be consumed in low amounts because they are richer in fiber, and there is a specific food list that should be avoided for people who suffer from myasthenia gravis (9)(10)(11).
In addition to that, since both chard and marrow-stem kale are rich in vitamin K, people who take antiaggregant medications should avoid consuming high-vitamin K foods (12).
Oxalates
Leafy green vegetables, such as chard and marrow-stem kale, are high in oxalates that may react with calcium ions and result in kidney stones. To avoid stone formation, you should limit excess consumption of that kind of food.
References
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32746613/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22744944/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986475/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23751216/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15322346/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5103670/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16698256/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28326001/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20184938/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21328290/
- https://www.myastheniagravis.org/life-with-mg/nutrition/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26922378/
Infographic
Fat Type Comparison
Comparison summary table
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Rich in vitamins |
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| Lower in Saturated Fat |
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| Lower in price |
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| Rich in minerals |
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| Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
| Lower in Glycemic Index | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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Opinion |
| Net carbs | 1.42g | 2.14g |
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| Protein | 3.02g | 1.8g |
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| Fats | 0.61g | 0.2g |
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| Carbs | 5.42g | 3.74g |
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| Calories | 32kcal | 19kcal |
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| Sugar | 0.46g | 1.1g |
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| Fiber | 4g | 1.6g |
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| Calcium | 232mg | 51mg |
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| Iron | 0.47mg | 1.8mg |
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| Magnesium | 27mg | 81mg |
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| Phosphorus | 25mg | 46mg |
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| Potassium | 213mg | 379mg |
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| Sodium | 17mg | 213mg |
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| Zinc | 0.21mg | 0.36mg |
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| Copper | 0.046mg | 0.179mg |
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| Manganese | 0.658mg | 0.366mg |
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| Selenium | 1.3µg | 0.9µg |
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| Vitamin A | 5019IU | 6116IU |
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| Vitamin A RAE | 251µg | 306µg |
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| Vitamin E | 2.26mg | 1.89mg |
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| Vitamin C | 35.3mg | 30mg |
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| Vitamin B1 | 0.054mg | 0.04mg |
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| Vitamin B2 | 0.13mg | 0.09mg |
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| Vitamin B3 | 0.742mg | 0.4mg |
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| Vitamin B5 | 0.267mg | 0.172mg |
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| Vitamin B6 | 0.165mg | 0.099mg |
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| Folate | 129µg | 14µg |
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| Vitamin K | 437.1µg | 830µg |
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| Tryptophan | 0.031mg | 0.017mg |
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| Threonine | 0.086mg | 0.083mg |
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| Isoleucine | 0.1mg | 0.147mg |
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| Leucine | 0.151mg | 0.13mg |
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| Lysine | 0.117mg | 0.099mg |
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| Methionine | 0.033mg | 0.019mg |
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| Phenylalanine | 0.087mg | 0.11mg |
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| Valine | 0.12mg | 0.11mg |
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| Histidine | 0.047mg | 0.036mg |
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| Saturated Fat | 0.055g | 0.03g |
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| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.03g | 0.04g |
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| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.201g | 0.07g |
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Which food is preferable for your diet?
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| Low Fats diet |
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| Low Carbs diet |
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| Low Calories diet |
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| Low Glycemic Index diet | Equal | |
Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
Comparison summary
References
All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.
- Marrow-stem Kale - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170406/nutrients
- Chard raw - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169991/nutrients
All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.