Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Iceberg Lettuce
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Iceberg Lettuce
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
alfalfa sprouts
versus
iceberg lettuce
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce:
- Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 14 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to iceberg lettuce per calorie. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 53:29:18 and for iceberg lettuce, 21:72:8 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 53% | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 29% | 72% |
| Fat | 18% | 8% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce are low in carbohydrates - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in iceberg lettuce comprise of 62% sugar and 38% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Alfalfa sprout has 58% more dietary fiber than iceberg lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 1.2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of sugar - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Alfalfa sprout has 343% more protein than iceberg lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.02g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Alfalfa sprout has 193% more Vitamin C than iceberg lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 2.8mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 25ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.18mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 24.1ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. Both alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain significant amounts of thiamin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.041 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.025 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 0.123 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | 0.091 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.042 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 29 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Alfalfa sprout has 78% more calcium than iceberg lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 18mg of calcium.
iron
Alfalfa sprout has 134% more iron than iceberg lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.41mg of iron.
potassium
Iceberg lettuce has 78% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 141mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
flavonoids
Naturally occuring in fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are associated with many health benefits and used in a variety of medicinal and pharmaceutical applications. [2][3]
For specific flavonoid compounds, both alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain significant amounts of quercetin.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 1.7 mg | 1.42 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.13 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.03 mg |
| kaempferol | ~ | 0.15 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.06 mg |
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, both alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain small amounts of alpha-carotene.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 87 UG | 299 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | 4 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 277 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than iceberg lettuce per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.175 G | 0.052 G |
| Total | 0.175 G | 0.052 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more linoleic acid than iceberg lettuce per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.234 G | 0.021 G |
| Total | 0.234 G | 0.021 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 Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Iceberg Lettuce 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% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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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% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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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 % | |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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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 % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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| 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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| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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UG % | |
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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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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 iceberg lettuce contain more calories in 100 grams?Alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and iceberg lettuce has 14 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or iceberg lettuce better for protein?
Alfalfa sprout has 340% more protein than iceberg lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.9g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or iceberg lettuce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce are low in carbohydrates - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and iceberg lettuce has 3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in iceberg lettuce comprise of 60% sugar and 40% dietary fiber.