Asparagus vs. Butterhead Lettuce
Nutrition comparison of Asparagus and Butterhead Lettuce
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
asparagus
versus
butterhead lettuce
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in asparagus and butterhead lettuce:
- Both asparagus and butterhead lettuce are high in potassium.
- Asparagus has more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin.
- Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber and iron.
- Butterhead lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K.
- Butterhead lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Butterhead Lettuce (Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 13 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, asparagus is heavier in carbs, lighter in fat and similar to butterhead lettuce for protein. Asparagus has a macronutrient ratio of 34:61:5 and for butterhead lettuce, 33:57:11 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Asparagus | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 34% | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 61% | 57% |
| Fat | 5% | 11% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both asparagus and butterhead lettuce are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 2.2g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in asparagus are made of 53% dietary fiber and 47% sugar, whereas the carbs in butterhead lettuce comprise of 54% dietary fiber and 46% sugar.
dietary fiber
Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 91% more dietary fiber than butterhead lettuce - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 0.94g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and butterhead lettuce are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 3.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Butterhead lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 337% more Vitamin A than asparagus - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 166ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 0.18mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Butterhead lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K and it has 146% more Vitamin K than asparagus - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 102.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Asparagus has more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. Both asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Asparagus | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.143 MG | 0.057 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.141 MG | 0.062 MG |
| Niacin | 0.978 MG | 0.357 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.274 MG | 0.15 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.082 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 73 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Butterhead lettuce has 46% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 35mg of calcium.
iron
Asparagus is a great source of iron and it has 73% more iron than butterhead lettuce - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both asparagus and butterhead lettuce are high in potassium. Asparagus is very similar to asparagus for potassium - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 238mg 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 | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 5.7 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 1.39 mg | 0.02 mg |
| Quercetin | 13.98 mg | 2.73 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 asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain significant amounts of lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Asparagus | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | 1987 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 9 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 710 UG | 1223 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, butterhead lettuce has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than asparagus per 100 grams.
| Asparagus | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.01 G | 0.083 G |
| Total | 0.01 G | 0.083 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Asparagus | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.034 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.034 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 Butterhead Lettuce (Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw) .
Asparagus g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Butterhead 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% |
|
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% |
|
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 % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
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% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
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% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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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 butterhead lettuce contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and butterhead lettuce has 13 calories.
Is asparagus or butterhead lettuce better for protein?
Asparagus and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.4g of protein.
Does asparagus or butterhead lettuce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both asparagus and butterhead lettuce are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and butterhead lettuce has 2.2g of carbohydrates. the carbs in asparagus are made of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar, whereas the carbs in butterhead lettuce comprise of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar.
Does asparagus or butterhead lettuce contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and butterhead lettuce are high in potassium. Asparagus is very similar to asparagus for potassium - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 238mg of potassium.