Protein content
A 1 cup cooked serving of kale contains 3.5 g of protein - a moderate source of protein, about 7% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is moderately protein-dense.
| Serving | 1 cup cooked (118 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 3.5 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 2.94 g |
| Calories per serving | 42 kcal |
| Protein density | 33% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 7% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Vegetables |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #169238 |
A typical 1 cup cooked serving of kale contains 3.5 grams of protein (2.94 g per 100 g), which makes it a moderate source of protein. That covers roughly 7% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Protein accounts for roughly 33% of the calories in kale, making it moderately protein-dense. The rest comes from fat and carbohydrate, so it adds a solid amount of protein while still carrying real energy - useful when you are eating to a calorie target rather than under one.
Among the 105 vegetables in the database, kale ranks 28th by protein per serving, and 573rd out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against brussels sprouts, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (brussels sprouts has 4 g per 1 cup cooked).
It is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other plant foods across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids. The serving above is measured by volume at 118 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #169238 - "Kale, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Kale has 2.94 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 cup cooked serving (118 g) provides 3.5 g.
No. Kale is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other protein sources across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids.
A 1 cup cooked serving of kale contains 3.5 g of protein, about 7% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Kale is a moderate source of protein, and about 33% of its calories come from protein, which makes it moderately protein-dense. Set against brussels sprouts, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (brussels sprouts has 4 g per 1 cup cooked).
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