Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Edamame
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Edamame
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
alfalfa sprouts
versus
edamame
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and edamame:
- Alfalfa sprout has 3.2 times less carbohydrates than edamame.
- Edamame has more thiamin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Edamame is a great source of iron and protein.
- Edamame is an excellent source of calcium, dietary fiber and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Edamame (Edamame, frozen, prepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Edamame is high in calories and alfalfa sprout has 81% less calories than edamame - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and edamame has 121 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is heavier in protein, lighter in fat and similar to edamame for carbs. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 53:29:18 and for edamame, 37:27:36 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 53% | 37% |
| Carbohydrates | 29% | 27% |
| Fat | 18% | 36% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Alfalfa sprout has 3.2 times less carbohydrates than edamame - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and edamame has 8.9g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in edamame comprise of 58% dietary fiber, 25% sugar and 17% starch.
dietary fiber
Edamame is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 174% more dietary fiber than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and edamame has 5.2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprouts and edamame contain similar amounts of sugar - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and edamame has 2.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Edamame is a great source of protein and it has 198% more protein than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and edamame has 11.9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and edamame are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and edamame has 0.62g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both edamame and alfalfa sprouts are low in trans fat - edamame has 0.01g of trans fat per 100 grams and alfalfa sprout does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Alfalfa sprouts and edamame contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and edamame has 6.1mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Alfalfa sprouts and edamame contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and edamame has 15ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and edamame contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and edamame has 0.68mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Alfalfa sprouts and edamame contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and edamame has 26.7ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Edamame has more thiamin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both alfalfa sprouts and edamame contain significant amounts of riboflavin and pantothenic acid.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.155 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 0.915 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | 0.395 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.1 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 311 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Edamame is an excellent source of calcium and it has 97% more calcium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and edamame has 63mg of calcium.
iron
Edamame is a great source of iron and it has 136% more iron than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and edamame has 2.3mg of iron.
potassium
Edamame is an excellent source of potassium and it has 452% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and edamame has 436mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
carotenoids
Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]
For specific types of carotenoids,
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 87 UG | 175 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 1619 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, edamame has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than alfalfa sprout per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.175 G | 0.358 G |
| EPA | ~ | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.175 G | 0.361 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, edamame has more linoleic acid than alfalfa sprout per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Edamame | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.234 G | 1.792 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.002 G |
| Total | 0.234 G | 1.794 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Edamame (Edamame, frozen, prepared) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Edamame g
()
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
| MG % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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UG % | |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does alfalfa sprouts or edamame contain more calories in 100 grams?Edamame is high in calories and alfalfa sprout has 80% less calories than edamame - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and edamame has 121 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or edamame better for protein?
Edamame is a great source of protein and it has 200% more protein than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and edamame has 11.9g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or edamame contain more calcium?
Edamame is a rich source of calcium and it has 100% more calcium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium in 100 grams and edamame has 63mg of calcium.
Does alfalfa sprouts or edamame contain more potassium?
Edamame is a rich source of potassium and it has 450% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium in 100 grams and edamame has 436mg of potassium.