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Heart of Palm Nutrition & Calories - Complete data of all nutrients

Hearts of palm, raw
*all the values are displayed for the amount of 100 grams
Article author photo Arpi Gasparyan by Arpi Gasparyan | Last updated on October 12, 2023
Medically reviewed by Victoria Mazmanyan Article author photo Victoria Mazmanyan
Heart of palm

Summary

Briefly, heart of palm is a low-calorie food with relatively high carbs (25.61g), low protein (2.7g), and fats (0.2g). Heart of palm is a great vitamin B6, copper, potassium, and zinc source.

Heart of palm is a source of health-promoting dietary fiber and polyphenols with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Table of contents

    Introduction

    Heart of palm is considered a vegetable. It is the stem cell of certain young palm trees. These trees include coconut palm, açaí palm, peach palm and juçara palm. Heart of palm is also known as palm heart, palmito, or palm cabbage.

    Palmito is a salad ingredient and substitute for gluten-free pasta.

    This article provides information about heart of palm nutrition and everything you need to know about the food.

    Nutrition

    This article focuses on the nutrition of raw heart of palm. However, some information will be added about canned heart of palm as well.

    The infographics below are presented for 100g servings of heart of palm, while one average serving size per person is considered to be one piece, weighing 33g, or one cup, equal to 146g.

    Nutrient Density

    Heart of palm is nutrient-dense, consisting of 69.5% water and 30.5% nutrients.

    Things are different for canned heart of palm, as it consists of 90.2% water and 9.8% nutrients.

    The majority of these nutrients are made up of carbohydrates - 25.6% for raw heart of palm and 4.6% for canned.

    Macronutrients chart

    3% 25% 69% 2%
    Protein:
    Daily Value: 5%
    2.7 g of 50 g
    5%
    Fats:
    Daily Value: 0%
    0.2 g of 65 g
    0%
    Carbs:
    Daily Value: 9%
    25.61 g of 300 g
    9%
    Water:
    Daily Value: 3%
    69.5 g of 2,000 g
    3%
    Other:
    1.99 g

    Calories

    Heart of palm is a low-calorie food.

    One hundred grams of heart of palm provides 115 calories, whereas the same amount of canned heart of palm provides only 28 calories.

    Compared to all foods in our database, raw heart of palm is in the top 30% of foods low in calories.

    Carbohydrates

    Most of the heart of palm nutrients are carbs.

    One hundred grams of heart of palm contains 25.61g of carbs, covering 9% of the daily need. 

    Net Carbs

    94% (24.11g) of heart of palm carbs are net carbs, while the remaining 6% (1.5g) is dietary fiber. As the food is high in carbs, it is not suitable for low-carb diets.

    Dietary Fiber

    One hundred grams of heart of palm contains only 1.5g of dietary fiber, which is considered low.

    2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming 28g of dietary fiber daily for women and 34g for men (1).

    Canned heart of palm contains only 4.62g of carbs. However, surprisingly, canned heart of palm has a higher dietary fiber content - 2.5g or 52% of its carb content.

    Fiber content ratio for Heart of palm

    67% 6% 27%
    Sugar: 17.16 g
    Fiber: 1.5 g
    Other: 6.95 g

    Protein

    Heart of palm is low in protein. One hundred grams of heart of palm contains 2.7g of proteins, which covers only 5% of the daily need.

    Canned heart of palm provides a similar amount of proteins.

    Fats

    Both raw and canned hearts of palm are very low in fats.

    One hundred grams of raw heart of palm contains 0.2g of fats, and canned heart of palm - 0.62g.

    Fat type information

    33% 4% 64%
    Saturated Fat: 0.046 g
    Monounsaturated Fat: 0.005 g
    Polyunsaturated fat: 0.089 g

    Vitamins

    Heart of palm is not particularly rich in vitamins.

    Heart of palm is rich in vitamin B6: it is in the top 15% of foods rich in vitamin B6. It also provides moderate levels of vitamin B9 or folate.

    Vitamin B6 has many functions inside the organism, such as participating in normal immune and nervous system functions, protein metabolism, keeping blood sugar in normal ranges, and preventing anemia (2).

    Heart of palm can also be a good source of vitamin C, falling in the top 26% of foods as a source.

    Heart of palm contains some levels of vitamins B1, B2, and B3, as well as vitamins E and A in insignificant levels.

    Vitamin coverage chart

    Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 5% 10% 0% 27% 13% 42% 17% 0% 187% 18% 0% 0%
    Vitamin A: 68 IU of 5,000 IU 1%
    Vitamin E : 0.5 mg of 15 mg 3%
    Vitamin D: 0 µg of 10 µg 0%
    Vitamin C: 8 mg of 90 mg 9%
    Vitamin B1: 0.05 mg of 1 mg 4%
    Vitamin B2: 0.18 mg of 1 mg 14%
    Vitamin B3: 0.9 mg of 16 mg 6%
    Vitamin B5: 0 mg of 5 mg 0%
    Vitamin B6: 0.81 mg of 1 mg 62%
    Folate: 24 µg of 400 µg 6%
    Vitamin B12: 0 µg of 2 µg 0%
    Vitamin K: 0 µg of 120 µg 0%

    Minerals

    Heart of palm is a great source of copper, potassium, and zinc. One hundred grams of heart of palm covers 72% of the daily copper need, 53% of the daily potassium need, and 34% of the daily zinc need.

    Heart of palm falls in the top 6% of foods as a source of potassium, being 5 times higher in this mineral than bananas.

    However, canned heart of palm is almost 10 times lower in potassium compared to raw heart of palm.

    One hundred grams of heart of palm also covers 20% of the daily iron and phosphorus needs.

    Heart of palm contains calcium, magnesium, and selenium at insignificant levels.

    Raw heart of palm is very low in sodium (14mg). Compared to raw palmito, canned palmito contains 30 times more (426mg) sodium.

    Mineral coverage chart

    Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium Choline 6% 64% 8% 60% 160% 2% 102% 215% 0% 4% 0%
    Calcium: 18 mg of 1,000 mg 2%
    Iron: 1.69 mg of 8 mg 21%
    Magnesium: 10 mg of 420 mg 2%
    Phosphorus: 140 mg of 700 mg 20%
    Potassium: 1806 mg of 3,400 mg 53%
    Sodium: 14 mg of 2,300 mg 1%
    Zinc: 3.73 mg of 11 mg 34%
    Copper: 0.644 mg of 1 mg 72%
    Manganese: 0 mg of 2 mg 0%
    Selenium: 0.7 µg of 55 µg 1%
    Choline: 0 mg of 550 mg 0%

    Ash

    Technically, the ash content of foods is what’s left after heating it at very high temperatures, leaving only minerals and inorganic compounds. Thus, the ash content gives us an idea of the overall mineral content of the food.

    The ash content of raw and canned heart of palm is very similar to each other - approximately 2g per 100g serving. 

    Phytochemicals

    Polyphenols

    Heart of palm is a source of polyphenols called chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid is also the ester of caffeic acid and quinic acid, with potential antioxidant and anticancer effects and immune-strengthening abilities (3, 4).

    Another health-promoting polyphenol found in heart of palm is protocatechuic acid. It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, and neuroprotective effects (5, 6).

    Flavonoid myricetin has been found in heart of palm (5). Like other polyphenols, it has shown antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects (7).

    Acidity

    The pH value of heart of palm falls from 5 to 7, making it from acidic to neutral (8).

    Potential Renal Acid Load or PRAL value is another way of looking at the acidity. The PRAL value measures how much acid or base is produced in the organism from the given food. The PRAL value of heart of palm is -31.9, making it alkaline or base-producing.

    Comparison to Similar Foods

    Heart of palm vs. Artichoke” Artichoke is much lower in net carbs and calories, is richer in proteins, and contains 3.6 times more dietary fiber. Artichoke is a better source of folate and vitamin K, calcium, and magnesium; meanwhile, heart of palm is a better source of vitamin B2 and B6, potassium, zinc, copper, and phosphorus. Artichoke contains 6.7 times more sodium.

    Heart of palm vs. Asparagus” Asparagus is 13.5 times lower in net carbs and somewhat higher in dietary fiber, with similar amounts of fats and protein; consequently, asparagus is lower in calories. Asparagus is higher in vitamins K, A, E, B1, and folate, while heart of palm is higher in vitamin B6, as well as phosphorus, zinc, copper, and potassium.

    References

    1. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025
    2. Vitamin B6: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
    3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24499380/
    4. Chlorogenic acid | C16H18O9 - PubChem
    5. Palm Hearts: Overlooked Healthy Vegetables
    6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22519395/
    7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772053/
    8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6443711/
    Article author photo Arpi Gasparyan
    Education: General Medicine at YSMU
    Last updated: October 12, 2023
    Medically reviewed by Victoria Mazmanyan

    Important nutritional characteristics for Heart of palm

    Heart of palm
    Glycemic index ⓘ Gi values are taken from various scientific sources. GI values less than 55 are considered as low. Values above 70 are considered as high. 32 (low)
    Calories ⓘ Calories per 100-gram serving 115
    Net Carbs ⓘ Net Carbs = Total Carbohydrates – Fiber – Sugar Alcohols 24.11 grams
    Acidity (Based on PRAL) ⓘ PRAL (Potential renal acid load) is calculated using a formula. On the PRAL scale the higher the positive value, the more is the acidifying effect on the body. The lower the negative value, the higher the alkalinity of the food. 0 is neutral. -31.9 (alkaline)
    TOP 6% Potassium ⓘHigher in Potassium content than 94% of foods
    TOP 15% Vitamin B6 ⓘHigher in Vitamin B6 content than 85% of foods
    TOP 18% Copper ⓘHigher in Copper content than 82% of foods
    TOP 25% Zinc ⓘHigher in Zinc content than 75% of foods
    TOP 26% Vitamin C ⓘHigher in Vitamin C content than 74% of foods

    Heart of palm calories (kcal)

    Serving Size Calories Weight
    Calories in 100 grams 115

    Heart of palm Glycemic index (GI)

    Gi values are taken from various scientific sources. GI values less than 55 are considered as low. Values above 70 are considered as high.
    32

    Mineral chart - relative view

    Potassium
    1806 mg
    TOP 6%
    Copper
    0.644 mg
    TOP 18%
    Zinc
    3.73 mg
    TOP 25%
    Iron
    1.69 mg
    TOP 44%
    Phosphorus
    140 mg
    TOP 54%
    Calcium
    18 mg
    TOP 57%
    Sodium
    14 mg
    TOP 83%
    Magnesium
    10 mg
    TOP 84%
    Selenium
    0.7 µg
    TOP 86%
    Choline
    0 mg
    TOP 100%

    Vitamin chart - relative view

    Vitamin B6
    0.81 mg
    TOP 15%
    Vitamin C
    8 mg
    TOP 26%
    Folate
    24 µg
    TOP 45%
    Vitamin A
    68 IU
    TOP 46%
    Vitamin B2
    0.18 mg
    TOP 51%
    Vitamin E
    0.5 mg
    TOP 57%
    Vitamin B3
    0.9 mg
    TOP 70%
    Vitamin B1
    0.05 mg
    TOP 72%
    Vitamin D
    0 µg
    TOP 100%
    Vitamin B12
    0 µg
    TOP 100%
    Vitamin K
    0 µg
    TOP 100%

    All nutrients for Heart of palm per 100g

    Nutrient Value DV% In TOP % of foods Comparison
    Calories 115kcal 6% 70% 2.4 times more than OrangeOrange
    Protein 2.7g 6% 73% Equal to BroccoliBroccoli
    Fats 0.2g 0% 88% 166.6 times less than Cheddar CheeseCheddar Cheese
    Vitamin C 8mg 9% 26% 6.6 times less than LemonLemon
    Net carbs 24.11g N/A 28% 2.2 times less than ChocolateChocolate
    Carbs 25.61g 9% 29% 1.1 times less than RiceRice
    Cholesterol 0mg 0% 100% N/AEgg
    Vitamin D 0µg 0% 100% N/AEgg
    Iron 1.69mg 21% 44% 1.5 times less than BeefBeef
    Calcium 18mg 2% 57% 6.9 times less than MilkMilk
    Potassium 1806mg 53% 6% 12.3 times more than CucumberCucumber
    Magnesium 10mg 2% 84% 14 times less than AlmondAlmond
    Sugar 17.16g N/A 34% 1.9 times more than Coca-ColaCoca-Cola
    Fiber 1.5g 6% 43% 1.6 times less than OrangeOrange
    Copper 0.64mg 72% 18% 4.5 times more than ShiitakeShiitake
    Zinc 3.73mg 34% 25% 1.7 times less than BeefBeef
    Phosphorus 140mg 20% 54% 1.3 times less than Chicken meatChicken meat
    Sodium 14mg 1% 83% 35 times less than White BreadWhite Bread
    Vitamin A 68IU 1% 46% 245.7 times less than CarrotCarrot
    Vitamin A RAE 3µg 0% 62%
    Vitamin E 0.5mg 3% 57% 2.9 times less than KiwifruitKiwifruit
    Selenium 0.7µg 1% 86%
    Vitamin B1 0.05mg 4% 72% 5.3 times less than Pea rawPea raw
    Vitamin B2 0.18mg 14% 51% 1.4 times more than AvocadoAvocado
    Vitamin B3 0.9mg 6% 70% 10.6 times less than Turkey meatTurkey meat
    Vitamin B6 0.81mg 62% 15% 6.8 times more than OatOat
    Vitamin B12 0µg 0% 100% N/APork
    Vitamin K 0µg 0% 100% N/ABroccoli
    Folate 24µg 6% 45% 2.5 times less than Brussels sproutBrussels sprout
    Trans Fat 0g N/A 100% N/AMargarine
    Saturated Fat 0.05g 0% 86% 128.2 times less than BeefBeef
    Monounsaturated Fat 0.01g N/A 94% 1959.8 times less than AvocadoAvocado
    Polyunsaturated fat 0.09g N/A 86% 530 times less than WalnutWalnut
    Omega-3 - EPA 0g N/A 100% N/ASalmon
    Omega-3 - DHA 0g N/A 100% N/ASalmon
    Omega-3 - DPA 0g N/A 100% N/ASalmon

    Check out similar food or compare with current

    NUTRITION FACTS LABEL

    Nutrition Facts
    ___servings per container
    Serving Size ______________
    Amount Per 100g
    Calories 115
    % Daily Value*
    0%
    Total Fat 0g
    0%
    Saturated Fat 0g
    Trans Fat g
    0%
    Cholesterol 0mg
    1%
    Sodium 14mg
    9%
    Total Carbohydrate 26g
    8%
    Dietary Fiber 2g
    Total Sugars g
    Includes ? g Added Sugars
    Protein 3g
    Vitamin D 0mcg 0%

    Calcium 18mg 2%

    Iron 2mg 25%

    Potassium 1,806mg 0%

    *
    The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

    Health checks

    Low in Cholesterol
    ok
     ⓘ Dietary cholesterol is not associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease in healthy individuals. However, dietary cholesterol is common in foods that are high in harmful saturated fats.
    Source
    No Trans Fats
    ok
     ⓘ Trans fat consumption increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality by negatively affecting blood lipid levels.
    Source
    Low in Saturated Fats
    ok
     ⓘ Saturated fat intake can raise total cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) levels, leading to an increased risk of atherosclerosis. Dietary guidelines recommend limiting saturated fats to under 10% of calories a day.
    Source
    Low in Sodium
    ok
     ⓘ Increased sodium consumption leads to elevated blood pressure.
    Source
    Low in Sugars
    ok
     ⓘ While the consumption of moderate amounts of added sugars is not detrimental to health, an excessive intake can increase the risk of obesity, and therefore, diabetes.
    Source

    Heart of palm nutrition infographic

    Heart of palm nutrition infographic
    Infographic link

    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. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167714/nutrients

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