Kale is a nutritional superstar. Once considered a minor crop, that all changed when people realized just how tasty kale is and its many health benefits. We now know that regularly consuming kale is a flavorful way to help protect our heart’s health and ourselves from certain types of cancer. Our question is, does kale have quercetin.
Quick Answer: Yes – Kale does contain quercetin. Compared to other similar foods, its quercetin content is exceptionally high.
Quercetin Content of Kale
The quercetin concentration in kale is 22.58mg/100g, and it is a rich source of vitamins A and C, calcium, and glucosinolates.
Is Kale High in Quercetin?
Compared to other foods, kale is very high in quercetin.
Let’s take a look at how it compares to 5 similar foods.
- Red cabbage contains 0.36mg/100g of quercetin which is hardly even a comparison to kale.
- Offering only 0.54mg/100g of quercetin cauliflower is over 22mg behind kale.
- Swiss chard slightly exceeds kale’s quercetin content providing 2.63mg/100g.
- With just 0.39mg/100g of quercetin, celery is no competition for kale.
- Broccoli provides 3.26mg/100g of quercetin, roughly 1/3rd that of kale.
Sources:
Harvard School of Public Health “Kale“: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/kale/
Mayo Clinic “The many types and health benefits of kale”: https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-many-types-and-health-benefits-of-kale
USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods: https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/80400525/data/flav/flav_r03.pdf
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
