Food comparison · USDA values
Kale vs Kale (Cooked): Calories & Nutrition Compared
Quick answer
Per 100 g, Kale and Kale (Cooked) are close: 35 vs 36 kcal and 2.9 vs 2.9 g of protein.
Side by side per 100 g
Equal weights, so the columns compare the foods themselves. The last column shows which food has more, and stays at "About the same" when the gap is too small to matter.
| Per 100 g | Kale | Kale (Cooked) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 35 kcal | 36 kcal | About the same |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 8.3 g | 8.2 g | About the same |
| Protein | 2.9 g | 2.9 g | About the same |
| Carbs | 4.4 g | 5.3 g | About the same |
| Fat | 1.5 g | 1.2 g | About the same |
| Fiber | 4.1 g | 4 g | About the same |
| Sugars | 1 g | 1.2 g | About the same |
| Sodium | 53 mg | 16 mg | Kale +37 mg |
- Protein 27% · 2.9 g
- Carbs 41% · 4.4 g
- Fat 32% · 1.5 g
- Protein 27% · 2.9 g
- Carbs 48% · 5.3 g
- Fat 25% · 1.2 g
Per portion
One USDA household portion of each food. The portions weigh different amounts, so this is the comparison for what ends up on the plate.
| Food | Portion | Weight | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kale | 1 cup | 21 g | 7 kcal | 0.6 g | 0.9 g | 0.3 g |
| Kale (Cooked) | 1 cup | 118 g | 42 kcal | 3.5 g | 6.3 g | 1.4 g |
The difference, worked out
- Kale and Kale (Cooked) have about the same calories per 100 g: 35 vs 36 kcal.
- Kale and Kale (Cooked) have about the same protein per 100 g: 2.9 vs 2.9 g.
- Kale and Kale (Cooked) have about the same carbs per 100 g: 4.4 vs 5.3 g.
- Kale and Kale (Cooked) have about the same fat per 100 g: 1.5 vs 1.2 g.
- Kale and Kale (Cooked) have about the same fiber per 100 g: 4.1 vs 4 g.
- Kale and Kale (Cooked) give about the same protein for the same calories: 8.3 vs 8.2 g per 100 kcal.
- Kale (Cooked) has more calories per portion than Kale: 42 vs 7 kcal, a difference of 35 kcal (the two portions weigh different amounts).
- Kale (Cooked) has more protein per portion than Kale: 3.5 vs 0.6 g, a difference of 2.9 g (the two portions weigh different amounts).
Every figure is computed from the two foods' USDA values, rounded as printed above. A difference is stated only when it is at least 10% of the larger value and clears a small minimum for the nutrient, so tiny gaps are not dressed up as findings.
Our take
Per 100 g, raw and cooked kale are close on every headline number. A cup of each weighs a different amount, which is why the per-portion figures are far apart, so weigh cooked kale if you want accuracy.
Raw and cooked values describe different things. Cooking changes how much water a food holds, so the same weight of cooked food carries a different amount of calories and protein than the same weight of raw. Log a food in the state you weighed it.
Full amount tables, portions and every nutrient: see Kale and Kale (Cooked).
Log kale or kale (cooked) without the math
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Start free on the webValues are USDA averages for the foods as described on their pages; a single piece varies with variety, ripeness and preparation. This is general information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, under 18 or managing a health condition, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing how you eat.
Source: USDA FoodData Central, Kale (FDC 168421) and Kale (Cooked) (FDC 169238). How we calculate.