kale vs lettuce

Kale or lettuce which one is more nutritious?

You might enjoy eating both kale and lettuce alternatively in your food dishes and salads. But have you ever wondered which one of them is more beneficial for your health, though both vegies are undoubtedly health, there will be a difference in their nutrition value, right? Hence, here we are going to compare Kale and lettuce and will see which one of them triumphs the battle of providing better nutrition than the other.

Brief introduction of Kale and lettuce:

Kale leaves-

In addition to its healthy nutrient content, kale is an attractive, leafy vegetable. There may be numerous health benefits associated with it for your entire body. In the mustard family, or Brassicaceae, it is found along with cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Unlike other plants, kale does not form a head out of its leaves, and its leaves are typically green or purple. Blood pressure can be managed, digestion can be improved by the inclusion of kale in your diet. The mild taste of kale makes it a refreshing vegetable and one to enjoy. Variations in flavour and nutritional content can be found among different types. A young leaf or a leaf that is in full bloom is typically less bitter and fibrous.

Lettuce leaves-

Lettuce leaves are rich in protein but contains considerably less calorie. Variety makes this veggie easy to pair with nearly anything in your pantry. The added benefits of this vegetable go far beyond adding color to salads and sandwiches. lettuce is good for your heart the reason being its potassium and magnesium richness. A lettuce salad contains a high-water content, so you feel full and hydrated after eating it. In that regard, if you care about your health, lettuce leaves are a good to go option.

Comparison between kale and lettuce:

Macronutrient ratio:

Both of the leafy green vegetables kale as well as lettuce contains low number of calories thus it’s a good choice to essentially include them in your diet. If we talk about the exact amount of calorie per 100 gm of vegie then kale has 35 calories and lettuce has 17 calories. As you can see, they contain nearly same number of calories, lettuce being slightly more beneficial than kale.

Micronutrient ratio of kale is 28:41:31 and that of lettuce is 26:65:10. Macronutrients simply means protein, carbohydrates and fat that are the three fundamental components of any diet out there. Looking at the macronutrient ratio of kale and lettuce it’s clear that both are almost on the same level in terms of protein, kale contains lighter carbs than lettuce (that’s a plus point of kale!)  and kale is rich in fat compared to lettuce.

Sugar content:

Both kale and romaine lettuce contain approximately the same amount of sugar: 0.9 gram per 100 grams for kale and 1.2 gram for romaine lettuce.

Protein content:

Compared to romaine lettuce, kale contains 137% more protein: 2.9 grams per 100 grams, versus 1.2 grams. (Kale vs romaine lettuce)

Saturated fat:

The saturated fat content of kale and romaine lettuce is similar – kale has 0.18g of saturated fat per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.04g.

Dietary fiber:

 Kale and romaine lettuce both contain high levels of dietary fiber. Thus, making both vegetable good for your digestive system.

Vitamins

Organic compounds, vitamins are essential to human health. Vitamins must be consumed through food since the body either cannot produce them or can only produce a small quantity. Organic substances such as vitamins are present in natural foodstuffs in minute amounts. Certain health conditions can be exacerbated by too little of any particular vitamin.

  • Vitamin A â€“ Combined, kale and romaine lettuce both contain high levels of Vitamin A – kale has 2.41 milligrams of Vitamin A per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 4.36 milligrams. Maintaining good eye health requires Vitamin A.
  • The B vitamins- There is more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid found in kale, but folate is more abundant in romaine lettuce. Thiamin and vitamin B6 both occur in significant amounts in kale and romaine lettuce. In order for red blood cells to form, vitamin B6 is needed. Deficiencies of it can result in anemia and peripheral neuropathy.
  • Vitamin C- Compared to lettuce, kale provides 22 times more Vitamin C than romaine lettuce, which makes this a great food to eat raw. Raw kale is more beneficial than cooked kale since heat/cooking can damage vitamin C. In terms of Vitamin C content, kale has 93.4mg per 100 grams whereas lettuce has 4mg per 100 grams. Lettuce, however, is widely eaten raw in salads like this.
  • Vitamin K– kale as well as lettuce leaves are excellent source of vitamin K. The Vitamin K content in Kale is 280% higher than in romaine lettuce. It contains 3.89 milligrams per 100 grams of kale, while 1.02 milligrams per 100 grams of romaine lettuce. Kale is rich in Vitamin K which is important for blood clotting. Low levels of Vitamin K may lead to bleeding disorders.
  • Vitamin E– Vitamin E is present in kale and romaine lettuce in similar amounts, with kale having 0.66mg and romaine lettuce having 0.13mg. Antioxidants such as vitamin E help prevent inflammation caused by oxidative stress.

Minerals

Keeping your body healthy requires minerals. In addition to maintaining bones, muscles, hearts, and brains, your body uses minerals for many other functions as well. Minerals are usually found in foods ranging from nuts to vegetables. If you suffer from certain health conditions or take certain medicines, you might need to consume fewer minerals. You may receive a recommendation from your doctor concerning mineral supplements.

  • Calcium– Kale has a high calcium content. In fact, kale contains over 670 percent more calcium than romaine lettuce, with 254mg of calcium per 100 grams compared to 33mg present in 100 grams lettuce. However, it does make sense to notice that in kale oxalic acid binds with calcium, so the body cannot use it. You can consume the same amount of calcium as 1 glass of milk by eating two servings of cooked Kale or four cups of raw Kale. Additionally, lettuce contains oxalic acid, making calcium inaccessible.
  • Iron– Compared to romaine lettuce, kale contains 65% more iron – 1.6mg per 100 grams of kale as opposed to 0.97mg per 100 grams of romaine lettuce. Hemoglobin, which contains iron is responsible for carrying oxygen from lungs to all other remaining part of the body. Iron makes up approximately two-thirds of hemoglobin. In the absence of iron, your body can’t produce adequate amounts of red blood cells to carry oxygen. Iron deficiency anemia is characterized by the lack of red blood cells.
  • Potassium– A high potassium content is found in both kale and romaine lettuce. As a comparison, in 100 grams of kale vs. in 100 grams of romaine lettuce, kale contains 41% more potassium.  Hypertension sufferers are particularly benefitted by Kale. Potassium is not naturally produced by your body. Therefore, it is essential to consume potassium-rich foods in the correct quantity. Because kidneys remove excess potassium through urine, they maintain a balanced  potassium level in your body.

Antioxidants and phytonutrients

  • flavonoids– Naturally occurring flavonoids can be found in fruits and vegetables. Medically, they are useful because of the variety of health benefits they have. The flavonoids in kale are higher than those in lettuce.  Flavonoids help keep your physique maintained and healthy by protecting it against stressors.
  • Carotenoids– The phytonutrient carotenoids are widely present in plants and in some animal products. Among specific types of carotenoids, one of the best sources of Vitamin A is beta-carotene, a carotenoid found in carrots, kale, and romaine lettuce. Kale in particular and romaine lettuce in particular both contain high levels of beta-carotene. Carotenoids help prevent diseases and boost the immune system.

Omega 3s: Kale has more fatty acids per 100 grams than romaine lettuce, including alpha-linoleic acid (ALA).

Omega 6s: As far as omega-6 fatty acids go, kale has a higher level of linoleic acid per 100 grams than romaine.

Conclusion:

When it comes to nutrition value, kale and lettuce knocks out each other alternatively in terms of specific nutrients. A quick summarization of above comparison is as follows which may help you to determine which one of kale or lettuce is more beneficial when it comes to maintaining level of particular vitamin or mineral in your intake.

Besides being high in dietary fibre and potassium, kale and romaine lettuce are also rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C.  Vitamin C and calcium are readily available in Kale. There is more riboflavin and niacin found in kale, but folate is more abundant in romaine lettuce

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