Collards, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
Whole food · Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Photo: Wikipedia
Cooked collard greens are tender, dark leafy greens with a robust, slightly earthy flavor and a silky, melt-in-your-mouth texture when boiled. They are a nutritional powerhouse, delivering an impressive 4 grams of fiber per 100g for just 33 calories, making them exceptionally low-energy-dense and filling.
Calorie split: 27% protein · 57% carbs · 16% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love collards for their deep, savory flavor that acts as a perfect canvas for smoky, spicy, or acidic seasonings. They are a beloved staple in Southern U.S. cuisine, often simmered for hours with ham hocks or bacon to create a rich, comforting potlikker.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The primary caution is their high vitamin K content, which can interfere with blood-thinning medications like warfarin. They also contain oxalates, which can contribute to kidney stones in susceptible individuals; pairing them with a calcium-rich food during cooking can help bind oxalates.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of dietary fiber for digestive health.
- Very low in calories and fat, supporting weight management.
- High in vitamin K, essential for bone health and blood clotting.
- Rich in antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health.
- Provides plant-based protein and essential minerals like calcium.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The slow-cooking liquid from Southern collards, known as 'potlikker,' is highly prized and traditionally sopped up with cornbread, as it contains leached-out vitamins and minerals from the greens.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 90.2 g |
| Energy | 33.0 kcal |
| Energy | 137 kj |
| Protein | 2.7 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.72 g |
| Ash | 0.73 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 5.7 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 4.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.40 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 141 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.1 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 21.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 32.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 117 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 15.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.23 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.05 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.51 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.50 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 18.2 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.04 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 mg |
| Niacin | 0.57 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.22 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.13 mg |
| Folate, total | 16.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 16.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 16.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 38.4 mg |
| Betaine | 0.20 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 380 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 4513 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 68.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 26.0 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 7600 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 6197 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.88 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 407 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.05 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.04 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.03 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.03 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.17 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.07 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.09 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.03 g |
| Threonine | 0.07 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.09 g |
| Leucine | 0.13 g |
| Lysine | 0.10 g |
| Methionine | 0.03 g |
| Cystine | 0.02 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.07 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.06 g |
| Valine | 0.10 g |
| Arginine | 0.11 g |
| Histidine | 0.04 g |
| Alanine | 0.09 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.16 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.18 g |
| Glycine | 0.08 g |
| Proline | 0.09 g |
| Serine | 0.07 g |
FAQ
Why are my boiled collards bitter?
Bitterness comes from compounds called glucosinolates. To mellow it, cook them longer (at least 45 minutes), add a splash of acid like vinegar or lemon juice at the end, or balance the flavor with a sweetener like brown sugar or a savory fat like bacon drippings.
What is the 'potlikker' and is it nutritious?
Potlikker is the flavorful cooking liquid left after boiling collards. It's rich in water-soluble vitamins (like vitamin C and some B vitamins) and minerals leached from the greens. It's traditionally used as a broth or for dipping cornbread.
Can I eat collard greens raw?
Yes, but they are very tough and fibrous raw. To use them raw in salads, it's best to remove the tough central stem, slice the leaves very thinly (chiffonade), and massage them with a bit of oil or dressing to soften the texture.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 0.33 kcal/g · 33% calories from protein · 4.0 g fiber · 0.4 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.13 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.