A lot of people have asked me what the difference is between kale vs spinach nutrition, and why is kale suddenly becoming a leafy green trend. Well, move over Popeye and make room for the “queen of greens,” kale. Gaining in popularity, kale is an amazing vegetable being recognized for its exceptional nutrient richness, health benefits, and delicious flavor.
Eating a variety of natural, unprocessed vegetables can do wonders for your health, but choosing super-nutritious kale on a regular basis may provide significant health benefits, including cancer protection and lowered cholesterol. Calories should be the last thing that you are counting when you are munching on leafy green vegetables, but if you are counting, kale has double what spinach does. However, kale has 14% more protein per serving size versus spinach. Kale also has a much higher amount of vitamin K and vitamin A.
The Bottom Line: You really cannot go wrong with raw greens, but when you want an extra-powerful nutritional punch, grab kale. It more than earns its “superfood” status with crazy amounts of vitamin A, K and C. It is also packed with calcium, making this dark, leafy green a great source if you skip dairy. And here is an added bonus; it is heavier and denser than spinach, which means you can eat less of it to get the same serving size. Of course, spinach is no slouch either; but just a word to the wise, it is best to buy both spinach and kale in the organic section of the grocery store. To find the freshest kale, look for firm, deeply colored leaves with hardy stems. Smaller leaves will be more tender and milder in flavor. Leaves range from dark green to purple to deep red in color. Store kale, unwashed, in an air-tight zipped plastic bag for up to five days in the refrigerator.