Is Kale Healthier Than Spinach?

Short answer: Both earn the top Nutri-Score grade. Kale has more fiber and vitamin C; spinach is lighter and richer in folate and magnesium. The best green is the one you'll actually eat — alternating works.

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g	Kale	Spinach
Calories	49 kcal	23 kcal
Protein	4.3 g	2.9 g
Fat	0.9 g	0.4 g
incl. saturated	0.1 g	0.1 g
Carbohydrates	5.6 g	1.4 g
incl. sugars	2.3 g	0.4 g
Fiber	3.6 g	2.2 g
Salt	0.1 g	0.2 g
Nutri-Score	A	A

Rounded averages from food composition tables (USDA FoodData Central and others) for the foods as eaten; brands and recipes vary.

Which wins, and when

Less energy: Spinach — 26 kcal less per 100 g than kale.
More fiber: Kale — 1.4 g more per 100 g than spinach.

In short: for fewer calories or less saturated fat, look at the “less” lines; for staying full longer, protein and fiber matter most. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.

Portion tips

Kale: a typical serving (serving, 80 g) is 39 kcal — about 13 min of easy walking for a 70 kg (154 lb) person.
Spinach: a typical serving (serving, 80 g) is 18 kcal — about 6 min of easy walking.

Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.

Log it and see your day

In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed.