Asparagus vs. Cauliflower
Nutrition comparison of Asparagus and Cauliflower
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
asparagus
versus
cauliflower
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in asparagus and cauliflower:
- Both asparagus and cauliflower are high in potassium.
- Asparagus has more thiamin and riboflavin, however, cauliflower contains more pantothenic acid.
- Asparagus is a great source of iron.
- Cauliflower is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Cauliflower (Cauliflower, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus and cauliflower contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and cauliflower has 25 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, asparagus is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to cauliflower for fat. Asparagus has a macronutrient ratio of 34:61:5 and for cauliflower, 26:66:8 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Asparagus | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 34% | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 61% | 66% |
| Fat | 5% | 8% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both asparagus and cauliflower are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and cauliflower has 5g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Asparagus and cauliflower contain similar amounts of dietary fiber - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cauliflower has 2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus and cauliflower contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and cauliflower has 1.9g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and cauliflower contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and cauliflower has 1.9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and cauliflower are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cauliflower has 0.13g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Cauliflower is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 761% more Vitamin C than asparagus - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cauliflower has 48.2mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Asparagus has more Vitamin A than cauliflower - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cauliflower does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and cauliflower contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cauliflower has 0.08mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Asparagus has 168% more Vitamin K than cauliflower - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cauliflower has 15.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Asparagus has more thiamin and riboflavin, however, cauliflower contains more pantothenic acid. Both asparagus and cauliflower contain significant amounts of niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Asparagus | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.143 MG | 0.05 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.141 MG | 0.06 MG |
| Niacin | 0.978 MG | 0.507 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.274 MG | 0.667 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.184 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 57 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Asparagus and cauliflower contain similar amounts of calcium - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and cauliflower has 22mg of calcium.
iron
Asparagus is a great source of iron and it has 410% more iron than cauliflower - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and cauliflower has 0.42mg of iron.
potassium
Both asparagus and cauliflower are high in potassium. Cauliflower has 48% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and cauliflower has 299mg 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,
| Asparagus | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 5.7 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 1.39 mg | 0.36 mg |
| Quercetin | 13.98 mg | 0.54 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.03 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.09 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,
| Asparagus | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | ~ |
| alpha-carotene | 9 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 710 UG | 1 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both asparagus and cauliflower contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Asparagus | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.01 G | 0.015 G |
| Total | 0.01 G | 0.015 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both asparagus and cauliflower contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Asparagus | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.016 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.019 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: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Cauliflower (Cauliflower, raw) .
Asparagus g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Cauliflower g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
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 % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does asparagus or cauliflower contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus and cauliflower contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and cauliflower has 25 calories.
Is asparagus or cauliflower better for protein?
Asparagus and cauliflower contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and cauliflower has 1.9g of protein.
Does asparagus or cauliflower have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both asparagus and cauliflower are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and cauliflower has 5g of carbohydrates.
Does asparagus or cauliflower contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and cauliflower are high in potassium. Cauliflower has 50% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and cauliflower has 299mg of potassium.