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Lettuce vs. Kale raw — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan by Ani Harutyunyan | Last updated on June 24, 2023
Medically reviewed by Jack Yacoubian Article author photo Jack Yacoubian
Lettuce
vs
Kale raw

Summary

 Kale is three times richer in fiber, and it is overall richer in vitamins C, B2, B6, K, A, and E. In addition, Kale is richer in calcium, manganese, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper 

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Taste and appearance
      1. Nutrition
        1. Vitamins
          1. Minerals
            1. Macronutrients
              1. Proteins
              2. Carbs
              3. Fiber
              4. Net carbs
            2. Fats
              1. Calories
              2. Health impact
                1. Cardiovascular health
                  1. Liver protective effects and Antioxidants
                    1. Anticancer
                      1. Antidiabetic
                      2. REFERENCES

                        Introduction

                        Both being members of different plant families, lettuce and kale tend to have many differences. The two vegetables are packed with minerals and vitamins. However, kale and lettuce differ in nutrient content. This article discusses the general and nutritional differences and the health impacts of raw lettuce(1) and raw kale(2).

                        Taste and appearance

                        Kale belongs to the family Brassica, also known as crucifers. It has a thicker stem and green color. They usually taste strong and earthy but are not spicy, unlike many greens. Kale is native to Europe.

                        Lettuce comes from the Mediterranean area. It belongs to the Asteraceae family. Lettuce leaves are longer and juicier than kale ones. They are commonly green, but you can find purple varieties as well. This vegetable has a sweeter taste, but the stem can be bitter.

                        Nutrition

                        Vitamins

                        Both kale and lettuce are rich in vitamins. However, kale has a richer vitamin profile.

                        Kale is richer in vitamins C, B2, B6, K, A, and E. 

                        For more detailed information, check the vitamin comparison chart shown below.

                        Vitamin Comparison

                        Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                        Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 31% 444% 4.4% 0% 18% 18% 7% 8% 21% 0% 316% 29% 7.4%
                        Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 400% 599% 31% 0% 28% 30% 19% 5.5% 63% 0% 1762% 106% 0.44%
                        Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +47.3%
                        Contains more CholineCholine +1600%
                        Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +1204.3%
                        Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +34.9%
                        Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +600%
                        Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +57.1%
                        Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +62.5%
                        Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +166.7%
                        Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +201.1%
                        Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +458%
                        Contains more FolateFolate +271.1%
                        ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
                        ~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

                        Minerals

                        Similar to their vitamin comparison, kale has a richer mineral profile aswell. 

                        Kale is higher in calcium, manganese, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper than lettuce.

                        Kale is more than three times richer in phosphorus and more than two times higher in potassium than lettuce.

                        Mineral Comparison

                        Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                        Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 9.3% 11% 17% 32% 9.7% 4.9% 12% 3.7% 33% 3.3%
                        Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 34% 45% 43% 55% 500% 15% 39% 5% 86% 4.9%
                        Contains less SodiumSodium -26.3%
                        Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +261.5%
                        Contains more CalciumCalcium +316.7%
                        Contains more PotassiumPotassium +153.1%
                        Contains more IronIron +70.9%
                        Contains more CopperCopper +5069%
                        Contains more ZincZinc +211.1%
                        Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +217.2%
                        Contains more ManganeseManganese +163.6%
                        Contains more SeleniumSelenium +50%

                        Macronutrients

                        Proteins

                        Vegetables are generally not considered protein sources, but they contain some amounts of proteins. Kale provides more protein than lettuce. It contains 4.28g per 100g of vegetables, compared to 1.36g of lettuce.

                        Carbs

                        Kale has more carbs than lettuce. Kale has 8.75g of carbohydrates per 100g, while lettuce has 2.87g. Furthermore, lettuce has fewer sugars than kale.

                        Fiber

                        Kale provides nearly three times more fiber than lettuce. Kale is usually higher in insoluble fiber, while lettuce contains more soluble fiber.

                        Net carbs

                        Net carbs are the carbohydrates in food used to synthesize energy. Subtract the amount of fiber from the total carbs in the food to get the net carb amount.

                        Kale provides 8.75 grams of carbs with 3.6 grams of fiber. On the other hand, lettuce provides 2.87 grams of carbohydrates and 1.3 grams of fiber per serving. Kale has 5.15 grams of net carbs, whereas lettuce has 1.57 grams. Hence, lettuce has a lower net carb content.

                        Fats

                        Lipids are not found in kale or lettuce in considerable quantities. Lettuce has 0.2 grams of fat per 100 grams of vegetable, whereas kale has 0.93 grams. The two vegetables are equal in cholesterol content: they do not contain a significant amount.

                        Calories

                        Kale has 49 calories per 100g of vegetable, compared to 15 for lettuce.

                        Health impact

                        Cardiovascular health

                        Lettuce is associated with improved cardiovascular health due to its phytochemicals which are linked with decreased risks of myocardial infarction activity (3).

                        Kale contains phytochemicals that are associated with positive impacts on cardiovascular health (10). 

                        Liver protective effects and Antioxidants

                        Phenolic compounds in lettuce are associated with decreased risks of oxidative damage in liver cells (4). 

                        Kale contains quercetin which is an antioxidant aswell (8)(9)    

                        Anticancer

                        Biofortified lettuce with iodine has been shown to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, thus having anti-carcinogenic activities (5). 

                        kaempferol in kale has anticarcinogenic activity and anti-inflammatory activity (11). 

                        Antidiabetic

                        lettuce phytochemicals have shown to have activity towards glucosidase and glucose receptors in the gastrointestinal tract, and overall they reduce carbohydrate breakdown and absorption. Overall, having a positive impact on type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance (6)(7). 

                        Kale provides relatively large amounts of quercetin and kaempferol (9). These chemicals have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and heart-protective effects.

                        REFERENCES

                        1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169249/nutrients
                        2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168421/nutrients
                        3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15297097/ 
                        4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33879443/ 
                        5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35480668/ 
                        6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18503731/
                        7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9219965/ 
                        8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5214562/
                        9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19253943/ 
                        10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29557674/ 
                        11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31248102/ 
                        Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
                        Education: General Medicine at YSMU
                        Last updated: June 24, 2023
                        Medically reviewed by Jack Yacoubian

                        Infographic

                        Lettuce vs Kale raw infographic
                        Infographic link

                        Macronutrient Comparison

                        Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                        3% 95%
                        Protein: 1.36 g
                        Fats: 0.15 g
                        Carbs: 2.87 g
                        Water: 94.98 g
                        Other: 0.64 g
                        4% 9% 84% 2%
                        Protein: 4.28 g
                        Fats: 0.93 g
                        Carbs: 8.75 g
                        Water: 84.04 g
                        Other: 2 g
                        Contains more WaterWater +13%
                        Contains more ProteinProtein +214.7%
                        Contains more FatsFats +520%
                        Contains more CarbsCarbs +204.9%
                        Contains more OtherOther +212.5%

                        Fat Type Comparison

                        Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                        19% 6% 76%
                        Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.02 g
                        Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.006 g
                        Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.082 g
                        19% 11% 70%
                        Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.091 g
                        Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.052 g
                        Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.338 g
                        Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -78%
                        Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +766.7%
                        Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +312.2%

                        Comparison summary table

                        Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
                        Lettuce Kale raw
                        Lower in Sugar ok
                        Lower in Sodium ok
                        Lower in Saturated Fat ok
                        Lower in Glycemic Index ok
                        Lower in price ok
                        Rich in minerals ok
                        Rich in vitamins ok
                        Lower in Cholesterol Equal

                        All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                        Nutrient Lettuce Kale raw Opinion
                        Calories 15kcal 49kcal Kale raw
                        Protein 1.36g 4.28g Kale raw
                        Fats 0.15g 0.93g Kale raw
                        Vitamin C 9.2mg 120mg Kale raw
                        Net carbs 1.57g 5.15g Kale raw
                        Carbs 2.87g 8.75g Kale raw
                        Magnesium 13mg 47mg Kale raw
                        Calcium 36mg 150mg Kale raw
                        Potassium 194mg 491mg Kale raw
                        Iron 0.86mg 1.47mg Kale raw
                        Sugar 0.78g 2.26g Lettuce
                        Fiber 1.3g 3.6g Kale raw
                        Copper 0.029mg 1.499mg Kale raw
                        Zinc 0.18mg 0.56mg Kale raw
                        Phosphorus 29mg 92mg Kale raw
                        Sodium 28mg 38mg Lettuce
                        Vitamin A 7405IU 9990IU Kale raw
                        Vitamin A 370µg 500µg Kale raw
                        Vitamin E 0.22mg 1.54mg Kale raw
                        Manganese 0.25mg 0.659mg Kale raw
                        Selenium 0.6µg 0.9µg Kale raw
                        Vitamin B1 0.07mg 0.11mg Kale raw
                        Vitamin B2 0.08mg 0.13mg Kale raw
                        Vitamin B3 0.375mg 1mg Kale raw
                        Vitamin B5 0.134mg 0.091mg Lettuce
                        Vitamin B6 0.09mg 0.271mg Kale raw
                        Vitamin K 126.3µg 704.8µg Kale raw
                        Folate 38µg 141µg Kale raw
                        Choline 13.6mg 0.8mg Lettuce
                        Saturated Fat 0.02g 0.091g Lettuce
                        Monounsaturated Fat 0.006g 0.052g Kale raw
                        Polyunsaturated fat 0.082g 0.338g Kale raw
                        Tryptophan 0.009mg Lettuce
                        Threonine 0.059mg Lettuce
                        Isoleucine 0.084mg Lettuce
                        Leucine 0.079mg Lettuce
                        Lysine 0.084mg Lettuce
                        Methionine 0.016mg Lettuce
                        Phenylalanine 0.055mg Lettuce
                        Valine 0.07mg Lettuce
                        Histidine 0.022mg Lettuce
                        Fructose 0.43g Lettuce

                        Which food is preferable for your diet?

                        ok
                        ok
                        is better in case of low diet
                        Lettuce Kale raw
                        Low Calories diet ok
                        Low Fats diet ok
                        Low Carbs diet ok
                        Low Glycemic Index diet ok

                        Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

                        The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
                        Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
                        69%
                        Lettuce
                        234%
                        Kale raw
                        Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
                        14%
                        Lettuce
                        83%
                        Kale raw

                        Comparison summary

                        Which food is lower in Sugar?
                        Lettuce
                        Lettuce is lower in Sugar (difference - 1.48g)
                        Which food contains less Sodium?
                        Lettuce
                        Lettuce contains less Sodium (difference - 10mg)
                        Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
                        Lettuce
                        Lettuce is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.071g)
                        Which food is lower in glycemic index?
                        Kale raw
                        Kale raw is lower in glycemic index (difference - 32)
                        Which food is cheaper?
                        Kale raw
                        Kale raw is cheaper (difference - $0.5)
                        Which food is richer in minerals?
                        Kale raw
                        Kale raw is relatively richer in minerals
                        Which food is richer in vitamins?
                        Kale raw
                        Kale raw is relatively richer in vitamins
                        Which food contains less Cholesterol?
                        ?
                        The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

                        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.

                        1. Lettuce - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169249/nutrients
                        2. Kale raw - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168421/nutrients

                        All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                        Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.