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.
Detailed nutritional comparison of alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

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.


Image of Alfalfa Sprouts src
Image of Iceberg Lettuce src

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 52:27:21 and for iceberg lettuce, 22:73:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Alfalfa Sprouts Iceberg Lettuce
Protein 52% 22%
Carbohydrates 27% 73%
Fat 21% 6%
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 weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Alfalfa Sprouts or Iceberg Lettuce .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) .

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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.