Spinach vs Kale vs Broccoli – Which One Is Best?

HumanWindow
By HumanWindow
Updated on 18 April 2019

Spinach, Kale or Broccoli? If you’re asking this question, then you’re probably wondering which one of these vegetables is best for you nutritionally.

Luckily for you, you’ve landed on the right page. In this article, we’re going to take a close look at all three of these vegetables to see which one comes out on top.

Spinach, Kale and Broccoli are all very popular vegetables, and they all are good for you when enjoyed as part of a healthy and balanced diet.

But which one is best for you?

Here at HumanWindow, we’re always on the lookout for the best ways to improve our diets and overall health. And that means keeping up to date with the latest information about some of the top nutritional foods out there right now.

We’re going to split this article up into the following sections:

• What is Spinach?
• What is Kale?
• What is Broccoli?
• Spinach vs Kale vs Broccoli
• Anything Else to Consider?
• Wrapping Things Up – Our Final Thoughts

So, now that we have got the introductions out of the way, it’s time to start taking a closer look at each of these so-called ‘superfoods’ in a bit more detail.

What is Spinach?

Spinach leaves

Spinach leaves (Photo: Adobe Stock)

Spinach’s botanical name is Spinacia Oleracea, but most commonly it’s simply referred to as just Spinach.

Spinach is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia, and is also commonly added to salads or cooked as a vegetable.

It may either be cooked or eaten raw, with many people choosing to steam it.

Spinach is rich in a lot of important nutrients. For example, it’s a great source of various important nutrients, including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Magnesium, Manganese, Iron and Folate.

What is Kale?

Kale

Kale (Photo: Adobe Stock)

Kale is a type of cabbage grown for their edible leaves.

The botanical name of the Kale plant is Brassica Oleracea.

It has become very popular in recent years due to its touted nutritional benefits, and it has often been branded as a ‘superfood’.

More people are choosing to consume Kale these days due to its touted health benefits.

Kale is rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin K, as well as being a decent source of Calcium and Protein.

Like Spinach, it is usually cooked, either through steaming or other means, although some people also consume it raw.

Also like Spinach, Kale is very nutrient dense, and that makes it a good choice to be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

What is Broccoli?

Broccoli

Broccoli (Photo: Adobe Stock)

Broccoli is an edible green plant in the cabbage family whose large flowering head and stalk is eaten as a vegetable.

You’ve probably head all about broccoli before, as it’s a common vegetable in the Western diet, and it contains a number of important nutrients.

It comes from a plant which is closely related to Kale, Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts.

Historians estimate that Broccoli began to be cultivated in the northern Mediterranean region in around the 6th Century BC. Since the time of the Roman Empire, broccoli has been commonly consumed among Italians.

However, these days it is much more of a worldwide food. For example, in 2016, China and India produced 73 per cent of the world’s broccoli and cauliflower crops.

Like both Spinach and Kale, Broccoli is rich in a number of different important nutrients.

Broccoli is rich in Vitamin C, Protein, Vitamin A and Vitamin K. It also contains Potassium and Fiber.

Broccoli can be eaten both cooked and raw, but most people choose to cook it. Common forms of cooking Broccoli include steaming and boiling.

Spinach vs Kale vs Broccoli

Now that we’ve taken a closer look at all three of these individual vegetables, it’s time to start comparing them.

So, between Spinach, Kale and Broccoli, which one comes out on top?

As we have mentioned above, we think that all three of these vegetables are excellent choices and can be enjoyed as part of a healthy and balanced diet.

But if you’re looking for a more specific answer, read on.

Let’s start by comparing some of the basic nutritional values of Spinach, Kale and Broccoli.

As we have already gathered, both Spinach and Kale are rich in Vitamin C, but Broccoli has more Vitamin C than both Spinach and Kale.

However, you should note that cooking Broccoli, Spinach and Kale is believed to reduce the nutritional content of certain nutrients.

Kale contains around twice the Vitamin C as Spinach, but Spinach provides more Vitamin K and Vitamin A.

Broccoli contains more protein than both Spinach and Kale, and it also contains roughly twice as much fiber.

If you’re looking for the most nutritionally dense vegetable between Spinach, Kale and Broccoli, there is no doubt that Broccoli comes out on top.

That being said, all three of these vegetables are all good options and they contain an important range of Vitamins and Minerals.

As we have mentioned above, all three of these Vegetables can be enjoyed as part of a healthy and balanced diet.

We think that it’s always a good idea to mix up your nutrition and not consume too much of one thing.

Anything Else to Consider?

As we have mentioned above, making sure that you are following a varied, balanced diet which contains plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is an important pillar to your overall health.

We rate Spinach, Kale and Broccoli as good additions to a healthy diet, as all three of them can supply some important nutrients in impressive amounts.

However, we also feel that making sure that you’re varying your diet with lots of healthy whole foods is more important than picking out just one ‘superfood’.

The main three things you should do to support your overall health is make sure that you’re sticking to a healthy diet, are getting plenty of rest and exercising regularly.

If you’re looking for more nutritional tips on how to enjoy a healthy diet, be sure to check out the Food section here on the HumanWindow website.

Wrapping Things Up – Our Final Thoughts

So, that brings us to the end of our look at Spinach, Kale and Broccoli.

We are big fans of all three of these vegetables as they contain a lot of important nutrients in good amounts.

Although there are some clear similarities when it comes to the nutritional content of all three of these vegetables, Broccoli is probably the most nutritious when it comes to things such as protein and Vitamin C.

To summarize, we think that all three of these vegetables are great and can be enjoyed as part of a healthy and balanced diet, but if we were to pick a clear winner in the nutritional stakes, it would be Broccoli.

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