Kale, cooked
Checked by us One serving: 85 g (about ¾ cup) · 31 kcal
Lots of vitamin K1.
Nothing to watch for most people.
On warfarin? Keep your vitamin K steady.
Good for
How we counted this
What one serving (85 g) gives you.
Your body needs enough of each of these. Past enough, more doesn’t help. Amounts are what the food databases list, not what your body absorbs, unless a row says it was measured.
The words: “A lot” means one serving gives 20% or more of Health Canada’s daily amount, “Some” 10% to 19%, “A little” 2% to 9%, “Almost none” under 2%. Strongest word first; within a word, protein and fibre lead, then the biggest share. ?
A milligram (mg) is a thousandth of a gram, and a microgram (µg) a thousandth of a milligram: 1,000 µg make 1 mg.
- A lot
Vitamin K1
Your blood needs it to clot.
Learn more
355 µg in one serving: 296% of the 120 µg a day men need, 394% of the 90 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Listed amount only. 1 absorption study of this nutrient is on file for this food, but none is quoted yet. Each one is in The numbers, with the reason. See the studies
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin K fact sheet for health professionals
21 more nutrients below “a lot”
- Some
Omega-3: ALA
The one omega-3 your body can’t make: it must come from food. Your cells build it into their membranes and burn it for energy.
Learn more
286 mg in one serving: 18% of the 1,600 mg a day men need, 26% of the 1,100 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Vitamin C
Your body makes collagen with it, which wounds need to heal. It also helps you absorb iron from plants.
Learn more
15.1 mg in one serving: 17% of the 90 mg a day men need, 20% of the 75 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin C fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Calcium
Builds your bones and teeth.
The label says 127.5 mg of calcium. Your body gets about 52.1 mg.
From our evidence: Calcium on the label vs calcium absorbed →
Learn more
tested at 288 mg · Heaney & Weaver 1990: kale · grade A
- 1Kale, cooked85 g · 40.9% gets in · tested at 288 mg ⚑52mglabel 128
Listed: 128 mg. The word above is read from how well this calcium gets in compared with milk’s: 128 mg × 40.9% (gets in from this food) ÷ 32.1% (from milk) = 162 mg, counted as milk’s calcium, which is 16% of 1,000 mg a day.
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, calcium fact sheet for health professionals
- 1
- Some
Folate
Your body needs it to make DNA and to divide new cells.
Learn more
55.3 µg in one serving: 14% of the 400 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, folate fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Vitamin A
Your eyes need it to see in dim light.
Learn more
Getting enough matters; more than enough doesn’t sharpen your sight.
124 µg in one serving: 14% of the 900 µg a day men need, 18% of the 700 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Riboflavin (B2)
Your cells use it to make energy and handle fats. It also helps turn tryptophan into niacin and activate vitamin B6.
Learn more
0.12 mg in one serving: 9% of the 1.3 mg a day men need, 11% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, riboflavin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Vitamin E
Shields the fats in your cells from damage; your immune system uses it too.
Learn more
1.37 mg in one serving: 9% of the 15 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin E fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents)
More than 400 of your enzymes need it to work.
Learn more
0.88 mg in one serving: 6% of the 16 mg a day men need, 6% of the 14 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, niacin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Magnesium
Your muscles and nerves need it to work.
Learn more
21.3 mg in one serving: 5% of the 400 mg a day men need, 7% of the 310 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Listed amount only. 1 absorption study of this nutrient is on file for this food, but none is quoted yet. Each one is in The numbers, with the reason. See the studies
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Fibre
Keeps your gut moving.
Learn more
1.95 g in one serving: 5% of the 38 g a day men need, 8% of the 25 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- A little
Protein
Your muscles, and every other tissue, are built and repaired from it.
Learn more
2.5 g in one serving: 4% of the 56 g a day men need, 5% of the 46 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- A little
Thiamin (B1)
Your cells use it to get energy from food, and so to grow and work.
Learn more
0.05 mg in one serving: 4% of the 1.2 mg a day men need, 5% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, thiamin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Vitamin B6
Helps you use protein, and your brain needs it to make its chemical messengers.
Learn more
0.05 mg in one serving: 4% of the 1.3 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B6 fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Iron
Carries oxygen in your blood.
Learn more
0.71 mg in one serving: 9% of the 8 mg a day men need, 4% of the 18 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Listed amount only. 1 absorption study of this nutrient is on file for this food, but none is quoted yet. Each one is in The numbers, with the reason. See the studies
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, iron fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Potassium
Your nerves, muscles and kidneys need it to work.
Learn more
122 mg in one serving: 4% of the 3,400 mg a day men need, 5% of the 2,600 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, potassium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Zinc
Your immune system and healing wounds depend on it.
Learn more
0.23 mg in one serving: 2% of the 11 mg a day men need, 3% of the 8 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, zinc fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Selenium
Your thyroid uses it to make its hormones.
Learn more
0.85 µg in one serving: 2% of the 55 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, selenium fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Choline
Your cells need it for their membranes, and to make acetylcholine, a messenger for memory, mood and muscle control.
Learn more
0.43 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 550 mg a day men need, under 1% of the 425 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, choline fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Omega-3: EPA + DHA
Long-chain omega-3s, built into your cell membranes. DHA is concentrated in your brain and retinas.
Learn more
0 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 250 mg a day.
Health Canada sets no daily amount for these fats, so the daily figure here is the European Food Safety Authority’s.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin B12
Your body needs it to make red blood cells and keep nerves working.
Learn more
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 2.4 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin D
Your body needs it to absorb calcium and keep your bones hard.
Learn more
Your skin also makes it in sunlight, so food is only one of its sources.
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 15 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D fact sheet for health professionals
Watch out
How we counted this
Cadmium
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 2.9 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to use up what an average adult’s intake leaves under the limit.
Learn more
One serving carries 2.6 µg
How we got this
A serving a day adds 15% to what an average adult already takes in: a share of that intake, not of the limit. With that serving every day, an average adult would be at about 81% of the limit.
An average adult already takes in about 71% of the limit. One serving a day fits in the room left.
Counted from zero, with no allowance for what adults already take in from other food, 5,800 g a week would reach the limit.
Why this rating: Eating it daily comes to 595 g a week, which stays within the 1,700 g of room left before the limit.
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
A daily serving adds 15% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap.
US FDA, Total Diet Study FY2018–FY2020 Elements Report Supplement · grade A
Checked for lead: fine at normal amounts.
Lead
Nothing to watchYou’d need more than 100 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to double the lead an average adult already gets. No dose is known to be safe, so doubling is where we flag.
Learn more
A serving a day adds 0.4% to what an average adult already takes in. There is no limit to take a share of.
One serving carries 0.15 µg
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake
lower bound 1.8, upper bound 4.5 µg/kg; a serving adds 0.43% to average intake (1.1% at the upper bound)
US FDA, Total Diet Study FY2018–FY2020 Elements Report Supplement · grade A
For some people
With warfarin: keep vitamin K intake consistent (label), not avoid
Learn more
Eat a steady amount, not none. This line goes on every food whose serving gives 10% or more of the daily vitamin K; a few foods below that carry it too, where a source names them. One serving here has about 355 µg of vitamin K1.
Worth knowing
No limit applies, so none is rated.
Sugar
1 g of sugar in a 85 g serving, natural and added together.
Learn more
Shown, not rated. The food tables we read give total sugar, and few give added sugar, so the site can’t yet tell sugar added in making a food from the sugar in fruit or milk.
Also measured in it
Figures from the dataset. None has a limit to be rated against, so none is a verdict.
Oxalate: 297 mg per 100 g in the sources we hold. · Maqbool 2021, Erdogan et al · grade A, B
We haven’t rated this food for oxalate. We count only a figure that comes from a grade A or B source and says it was measured per 100 g of the food as eaten, and none of the figures here does both.
Also checked (nothing to act on) · 1
Noted for context, or not measured in this food yet.
Shown as context, not rated: 18% of the acceptable daily intake per serving; boiling lowers it.
Better options
How we counted this
“Better” here always means better at something the row names: more of one nutrient, more nutrients per serving, or the goal you pick. It never means better in every way.
Every amount below is for the same weight, 85 g, the size of one serving of this food, so a swap compares like with like. A serving of another food can be bigger or smaller.
A food is listed only if it gives clearly more: at least a fifth more than this food, and at least 10% of the daily amount more.
More of what it’s good for
For vitamin K1: Mustard greens, cooked would lead, in the same 85 g, but is left out (not tested for contaminants yet).
More nutrients per serving, counted together
The other vegetables we’ve checked with more nutrients per serving than this one, counting at most 100 kcal. One score ranks them all, so the same few often lead.
Turnip greens, cooked- More vitamin A (324 µg vs 124 µg)
- More folate (100 µg vs 55.3 µg)
- Less omega-3: ALA (54.4 mg vs 286 mg)
1 food out of the 22 other vegetables we’ve checked and could compare gives clearly more nutrients per serving.
Where the calcium card measured that less calcium gets in than from milk, calcium counts for less; everything else is as listed.
Your goal
Your goal changes only this list, not what the food gives you or what to watch.
Losing weight: fewer calories, and more nutrients, protein and fibre for each calorie.
Asparagus, cooked- 19 kcal in 85 g (this food: 31)
- More folate (127 µg vs 55.3 µg)
- Less vitamin K1 (43 µg vs 355 µg)
- Less omega-3: ALA (24.7 mg vs 286 mg)
- Turnip greens, cooked
- 17 kcal in 85 g (this food: 31)
- More vitamin A (324 µg vs 124 µg)
- More folate (100 µg vs 55.3 µg)
- Less omega-3: ALA (54.4 mg vs 286 mg)
Broccoli, cooked- 24 kcal in 85 g (this food: 31)
- More vitamin C (34.1 mg vs 15.1 mg)
- Less vitamin K1 (74.9 µg vs 355 µg)
- Less omega-3: ALA (35.7 mg vs 286 mg)
Building muscle: more protein and more calories, per 100 g. In a typical diet most protein comes from other foods; among vegetables, these help most.
Green peas, cooked5.2 g protein · 78 kcal per 100 g
1 food out of the 22 other vegetables we’ve checked and could compare gives clearly more protein, and more calories, per 100 g.
Why some foods aren’t suggested
Left out: Mustard greens, cooked (not tested for contaminants yet).
Left out: Spinach, cooked (Cadmium: go easy · lots of oxalate, more than its own calcium can bind).
Left out: Edamame, cooked (not tested for contaminants yet).
Bring a tracker export or describe your usual week. The same rules check all of it.
The numbers
Open every value
Name in the database: Kale, cooked
How the serving was set: 85 g (Health Canada V.1, vegetables without sauce)
Listed nutrients, per 100 g
For each nutrient, the value this page uses is marked “used”. A row marked “second database” is another database’s figure for a matching food, kept so you can see how far databases disagree (they can differ in the samples analysed, lab methods and rounding). Its own cells are worked out from it, but none of the page’s words or scores are.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3: ALA | 0.336 g | 0.29 g | 0.93 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Calcium | 150 mg | 127.5 mg | 416.67 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 231 mg | 196.35 mg | 641.67 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| 150 mg | 127.5 mg | 416.67 mg | copy of USDA · not used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #2107 | C | |
| Carbohydrate | 5.3 g | 4.51 g | 14.72 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Choline | 0.5 mg | 0.43 mg | 1.39 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Energy | 36 kcal | 30.6 kcal | – | FDC Energy (kcal) used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) | – |
| Omega-3: EPA + DHA | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Fat | 1.21 g | 1.03 g | 3.36 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 1.3 g | 1.11 g | 3.61 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.158 g | 0.13 g | 0.44 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Fibre | 2.3 g | 1.95 g | 6.39 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| 3.5 g | 2.98 g | 9.72 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Folate | 65 µg | 55.25 µg | 180.56 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 97 µg | 82.45 µg | 269.44 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Iron | 0.84 mg | 0.71 mg | 2.33 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 1.11 mg | 0.94 mg | 3.08 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Magnesium | 25 mg | 21.25 mg | 69.44 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 13 mg | 11.05 mg | 36.11 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents) | 1.04 mg | 0.88 mg | 2.89 mg | listed used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #2107 | C |
| Phosphorus | 42 mg | 35.7 mg | 116.67 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 46 mg | 39.1 mg | 127.78 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Potassium | 144 mg | 122.4 mg | 400 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 229 mg | 194.65 mg | 636.11 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Protein | 2.94 g | 2.5 g | 8.17 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 2.7 g | 2.3 g | 7.5 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.14 mg | 0.12 mg | 0.39 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 0.03 mg | 0.03 mg | 0.08 mg | second database · not used · 4.7× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Selenium | 1 µg | 0.85 µg | 2.78 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| 2 µg | 1.7 µg | 5.56 µg | second database · not used · 2× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Sodium | 16 mg | 13.6 mg | 44.44 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 6 mg | 5.1 mg | 16.67 mg | second database · not used · 2.7× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Sugars | 1.21 g | 1.03 g | 3.36 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| 0.9 g | 0.77 g | 2.5 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.063 mg | 0.05 mg | 0.18 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Vitamin A | 146 µg | 124.1 µg | 405.56 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.063 mg | 0.05 mg | 0.18 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 0.09 mg | 0.08 mg | 0.25 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Vitamin C | 17.8 mg | 15.13 mg | 49.44 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 25 mg | 21.25 mg | 69.44 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Vitamin E | 1.61 mg | 1.37 mg | 4.47 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 2.69 mg | 2.29 mg | 7.47 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Vitamin K1 | 418 µg | 355.3 µg | 1,161.11 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Water | 89.8 g | 76.33 g | 249.44 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 88.4 g | 75.14 g | 245.56 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Zinc | 0.27 mg | 0.23 mg | 0.75 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 0.2 mg | 0.17 mg | 0.56 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C |
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 1,730 µg | 1,470.5 µg | 4,805.56 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 2,097 µg | 1,782.45 µg | 5,825 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Copper | 0.067 mg | 0.06 mg | 0.19 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 0.03 mg | 0.03 mg | 0.08 mg | second database · not used · 2.2× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Energy (Atwater general) | 44 kcal | 37.4 kcal | 122.22 kcal | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Energy (Atwater specific) | 36 kcal | 30.6 kcal | 100 kcal | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Nitrogen | 0.47 g | 0.4 g | 1.31 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Ash | 0.73 g | 0.62 g | 2.03 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Sucrose | 0.16 g | 0.14 g | 0.44 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Glucose | 0.54 g | 0.46 g | 1.5 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Fructose | 0.42 g | 0.36 g | 1.17 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Maltose | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Theobromine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Energy | 151 kj | 128.35 kj | 419.44 kj | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Sugars, Total | 1.12 g | 0.95 g | 3.11 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Galactose | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Vitamin A, IU | 2,915 iu | 2,477.75 iu | 8,097.22 iu | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Carotene, alpha | 10 µg | 8.5 µg | 27.78 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0 iu | 0 iu | 0 iu | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 26 µg | 22.1 µg | 72.22 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.12 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.33 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Vitamin K (Menaquinone-4) | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Folic acid | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Folate, food | 65 µg | 55.25 µg | 180.56 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Folate, DFE | 65 µg | 55.25 µg | 180.56 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Betaine | 0.3 mg | 0.26 mg | 0.83 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Tryptophan | 0.035 g | 0.03 g | 0.1 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Threonine | 0.131 g | 0.11 g | 0.36 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Isoleucine | 0.176 g | 0.15 g | 0.49 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Leucine | 0.205 g | 0.17 g | 0.57 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Lysine | 0.176 g | 0.15 g | 0.49 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Methionine | 0.029 g | 0.02 g | 0.08 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Cystine | 0.039 g | 0.03 g | 0.11 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Phenylalanine | 0.15 g | 0.13 g | 0.42 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Tyrosine | 0.104 g | 0.09 g | 0.29 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Valine | 0.16 g | 0.14 g | 0.44 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Arginine | 0.163 g | 0.14 g | 0.45 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Histidine | 0.172 g | 0.15 g | 0.48 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Alanine | 0.148 g | 0.13 g | 0.41 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Aspartic acid | 0.263 g | 0.22 g | 0.73 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Glutamic acid | 0.332 g | 0.28 g | 0.92 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Glycine | 0.141 g | 0.12 g | 0.39 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Proline | 0.174 g | 0.15 g | 0.48 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Serine | 0.124 g | 0.11 g | 0.34 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Vitamin E, added | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| SFA 4:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| SFA 6:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| SFA 8:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| SFA 10:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.006 g | 0.01 g | 0.02 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.006 g | 0.01 g | 0.02 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.141 g | 0.12 g | 0.39 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.006 g | 0.01 g | 0.02 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.092 g | 0.08 g | 0.26 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.258 g | 0.22 g | 0.72 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.336 g | 0.29 g | 0.93 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.003 g | 0 g | 0.01 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.092 g | 0.08 g | 0.26 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.597 g | 0.51 g | 1.66 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| Lactose | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 4,980 µg | 4,233 µg | 13,833.33 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| Manganese | 0.542 mg | 0.46 mg | 1.51 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 0.38 mg | 0.32 mg | 1.06 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Niacin (B3, preformed) | 0.457 mg | 0.39 mg | 1.27 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 0.4 mg | 0.34 mg | 1.11 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.17 mg | 0.14 mg | 0.47 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #326196 | C |
| 0.13 mg | 0.11 mg | 0.36 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C | |
| Retinol | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #169240 | C |
| 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-649 | C |
Change the amount to rescale the first column. Nutrients a database doesn't list are missing, not zero.
Absorption studies
Studies of how much of a nutrient gets in; those done in animals are marked. This page quotes a figure only from a study that passes our screen: adults, graded A, of this food in this preparation, with a test dose on record and a source that has passed our evidence check. The exception is calcium on our calcium card: its figure comes from the card’s own study, checked with the card, and is marked “used” even where that study misses a step of this screen. The others are listed so nothing is hidden, each with the first check it fails.
| Study | Nutrient | Absorbed | Test dose | People | Grade | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heaney & Weaver 1990: kale standard · blanched, frozen; cooked, puréed, frozen; microwave-warmed; eaten mid-meal (toast with butter or margarine; coffee, tea or diet cola) full text read | Calcium | 40.9 % | 288 mg | 11 | A | Used |
| Study | Nutrient | Absorbed | Test dose | People | Grade | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heaney et al. 1993: kale standard · not stated in the abstract abstract only | Calcium | 52.7 % | 83 mg | 15 | A | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| genannt Bonsmann et al. 2008: kale kale, native oxalic acid 0.01 g in 150 g · kale; cooking not stated · not stated full text read | Iron | 10.7 % | not reported | 16 | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Bohn et al. 2004: kale not stated · frozen kale, cooked, pureed, microwave-reheated (boiling not stated) · 117 mg (4.82 mmol total Mg in the meal) full text read | Magnesium | 36.5 % | not reported | 9 | A | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Muzhingi et al. 2017: kale, with lard intrinsically [2H9]-labelled kale; variety not stated · cooked kale (cooking method not stated) · 50 g cooked kale = 1.5 mg beta-carotene abstract only | Vitamin A | – | not reported | 37 | A | Not used: it measures something other than the share absorbed. |
| Muzhingi et al. 2017: kale, with peanut butter intrinsically [2H9]-labelled kale; variety not stated · cooked kale (cooking method not stated) · 50 g cooked kale = 1.5 mg beta-carotene abstract only | Vitamin A | – | not reported | 37 | A | Not used: it measures something other than the share absorbed. |
| Novotny et al. 2010: kale Brassica oleracea var. Acephala cv. Vates, uniformly labelled with 13C by growing in a sealed 13CO2 chamber and harvested at about 10 days (leaf canopy closure); the 400 g serving held only 70 ug phylloquinone · kale blanched, chopped, frozen at -80 C, thawed 12 h at 6 C and microwaved at 900 W for 2 min before eating · 156 nmol phylloquinone (70 ug) in 400 g kale full text read | Vitamin K1 | 4.7 % | not reported | 6 | A | Not used: no test dose on record. |
Hazard rows as the dataset rates them
- Cadmium · Nothing to watch: under the limit · A daily serving adds 15% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap. · US FDA Total Diet Study (2018–2020) · A
- Lead · Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake · lower bound 1.8, upper bound 4.5 µg/kg; a serving adds 0.43% to average intake (1.1% at the upper bound) · US FDA Total Diet Study (2018–2020) · A
- Nitrate · Context · Shown as context, not rated: 18% of the acceptable daily intake per serving; boiling lowers it. · EFSA 2008 · A
- Vitamin K and warfarin · Worth knowing · With warfarin: keep vitamin K intake consistent (label), not avoid · Warfarin product label · A
Oxalate, phytate and gut-tolerance measurements
- fodmap excess fructose: 542 mg/100 g · fresh weight; computed as the mean fructose (976) minus the mean glucose (434) · raw leaves · grade B · Thavarajah 2019
- fodmap excess fructose: none (glucose > fructose in all 7 genotypes) g/100 g dry matter · dry weight · raw leaves, freeze-dried · grade B · Bianchi 2024
- fodmap excess fructose: none (fructose 0.42 < glucose 0.54) g/100 g · fresh weight · frozen, cooked, boiled, drained · grade B · US food database (USDA Foundation Foods)
- fodmap fructan: 0.03 g/100 g · fresh weight · raw cabbage (related food: same species) · grade B · Ferjancic 2024
- fodmap gos: range 13–169 mg/100 g · fresh weight (paper: 'reported on a fresh weight basis (85% moisture)'; extracts were made from oven-dried powder) · raw leaves (stems removed), harvested at maturity · grade B · Thavarajah 2019
- fodmap mannitol: range 0–0.4 mg/100 g · fresh weight (paper: 'reported on a fresh weight basis (85% moisture)'; extracts were made from oven-dried powder) · raw leaves · grade B · Thavarajah 2019
- oxalate soluble: about 52% of total % of total · not stated · not stated · grade A · Bohn 2004
- oxalate total: not detected to ~158 mg/100 g · fresh weight · raw homogenate · grade A · Maqbool 2021
- oxalate total: 297 mg/100 g · not stated · not stated · grade B · Erdogan et al
Sources
- Bianchi G, et al. Insights into the phytochemical composition of selected genotypes of organic kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala). J Food Compos Anal 2024 (author accepted manuscript). · doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2023.105721
bianchi2024· full text read · CC BY 4.0 (per Liverpool repository record) - Bohn T et al. 2004 (kale soluble oxalate share)
bohn2004· abstract only · Publisher copyright (journal article) - Bohn T, Davidsson L, Walczyk T, Hurrell RF. Fractional magnesium absorption is significantly lower in human subjects from a meal served with an oxalate-rich vegetable, spinach, as compared with a meal served with kale. Br J Nutr 2004;91(4):601-606. · doi:10.1079/BJN20031081 · PMID 15035687
bohn2004bjn· full text read · publisher copyright; <=30-word quotes only - Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition)
cnf-2026· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - Public Health England, Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID) 2021
cofid-2021· dataset · Open Government Licence v3.0 - EFSA CONTAM Panel (2008) Nitrate in vegetables. EFSA Journal 689 · doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2008.689
efsa-2008-nitrate· full text read · EFSA Journal: CC BY-ND 4.0 - Erdogan et al. (kale oxalate, basis unclear)
erdogan· abstract only · Publisher copyright (journal article) - US FDA, Total Diet Study FY2018–FY2020 Elements Report Supplement
fda-tds-fy2018-2020· dataset · US government work (17 USC 105), public domain - USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30
fdc-foundation-2026-04-30· dataset · CC0 1.0 (public domain) - USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, 2018-04
fdc-sr-legacy-2018-04· dataset · CC0 1.0 (public domain) - Ferjancic B et al. 2024, Fructan content in most commonly consumed Slovenian foods, Front Nutr (PMC11327153)
ferjancic2024· full text read · CC BY 4.0 - Heaney RP, Weaver CM, Hinders SM, Martin B, Packard PT. Absorbability of calcium from brassica vegetables: broccoli, bok choy, and kale. J Food Sci 1993;58:1378–80 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1993.tb06187.x
heaney1993· abstract only · Publisher copyright (journal article) - Maqbool et al. 2021 (kale oxalate, raw homogenate)
maqbool2021· abstract only · Publisher copyright (journal article) - genannt Bonsmann SS, Walczyk T, Renggli S, Hurrell RF (2008). Oxalic acid does not influence nonhaem iron absorption in humans: a comparison of kale and spinach meals. Eur J Clin Nutr 62:336-41 · doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602721 · PMID 17440529
pmid:17440529· full text read · licence not recorded - Novotny JA, Kurilich AC, Britz SJ, Baer DJ, Clevidence BA. Vitamin K absorption and kinetics in human subjects after consumption of 13C-labelled phylloquinone from kale. Br J Nutr 2010;104:858-862. · doi:10.1017/S0007114510001182 · PMID 20420753
pmid:20420753· full text read · licence not recorded - Heaney RP, Weaver CM. Calcium absorption from kale. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:656–7 · doi:10.1093/ajcn/51.4.656 · PMID 2321572
pmid:2321572· full text read · Publisher copyright (journal article) - Muzhingi T, Yeum KJ, Bermudez O, Tang G, Siwela AH. Peanut butter increases the bioavailability and bioconversion of kale beta-carotene to vitamin A. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2017;26:1039-1047 · doi:10.6133/apjcn.112016.03 · PMID 28917229
pmid:28917229· abstract only · licence not recorded - Thavarajah D, et al. Effect of cover crops on the yield and nutrient concentration of organic kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala). Sci Rep 2019;9. · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-46847-9 · PMID 31316128
thavarajah2019· full text read · open access (Sci Rep; licence not re-checked) - Warfarin product monograph / label: keep vitamin K intake consistent
warfarin-label· page · Product label (manufacturer copyright)
Body map 2026-10-25.1: each nutrient’s job comes from an agency fact sheet, linked beside it under Good for.
The plain words: “a lot” means one serving (100 g when the food has no serving size) gives at least 20% of the daily amount (the reference intake), “some” at least 10%, “a little” at least 2% (the cut-offs are ours, one set for every page: 20% and 10% are borrowed from the US labelling terms “high” and “good source” and applied to Health Canada’s daily amount, whereas Health Canada’s own shopper rule says 15%; provisional: they may change in a later method version). The daily amount is Health Canada’s Dietary Reference Intake for adults 19–30; where men and women need different amounts we use the higher one (protein: 56 g for men, 46 g for women). The percentage printed under each nutrient is the printed amount as a share of that daily amount, rounded to the nearest whole number, and the word is read from that percentage, so the amount, the percentage and the word always agree. Calcium with a measured absorption is scaled by how well it gets in compared with milk.
The scale: “Nothing to watch” means a serving a day stays under the limit at ordinary amounts; “Go easy” means a serving a day can push past the limit for adults who already take in the most, or fewer than 2 servings reach it; “Limit it” means once a week or less. The dataset’s own rating is under “How we got this”. Provisional: the scale may change in a later method version.
Measured absorption under Good for: grade-A studies in adults that tested this preparation of this food, as a share of the listed amount (the share digested, for protein), quoted once each source has passed our evidence check; animal studies and other variants stay in the table above. Provisional: this screen may change in a later method version.