Cilantro vs. Onion

Nutrition comparison of Cilantro and Onion


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of cilantro versus onion (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cilantro and onion:

  • Cilantro has more riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
  • Cilantro has signficantly more iron than onion.
  • Cilantro is a great source of dietary fiber.
  • Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of cilantro and onion 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: Cilantro (Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw) and Onion (Onions, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Cilantro src
Image of Onion src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of calories - cilantro has 23 calories per 100 grams and onion has 40 calories.

Cilantro Onion
Protein 30% 10%
Carbohydrates 53% 88%
Fat 16% 2%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of carbs - cilantro has 3.7g of total carbs per 100 grams and onion has 9.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Cilantro is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 65% more dietary fiber than onion - cilantro has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and onion has 1.7g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of sugar - cilantro has 0.87g of sugar per 100 grams and onion has 4.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of protein - cilantro has 2.1g of protein per 100 grams and onion has 1.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both cilantro and onion are low in saturated fat - cilantro has 0.01g of saturated fat per 100 grams and onion has 0.04g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 265% more Vitamin C than onion - cilantro has 27mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and onion has 7.4mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than onion - cilantro has 337ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and onion does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Cilantro has 124 times more Vitamin E than onion - cilantro has 2.5mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and onion has 0.02mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 774 times more Vitamin K than onion - cilantro has 310ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and onion has 0.4ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Cilantro has more riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both cilantro and onion contain significant amounts of thiamin and Vitamin B6.

Cilantro Onion
Thiamin 0.067 MG 0.046 MG
Riboflavin 0.162 MG 0.027 MG
Niacin 1.114 MG 0.116 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.57 MG 0.123 MG
Vitamin B6 0.149 MG 0.12 MG
Folate 62 UG 19 UG

Minerals

calcium

Cilantro is an excellent source of calcium and it has 191% more calcium than onion - cilantro has 67mg of calcium per 100 grams and onion has 23mg of calcium.

iron

Cilantro has signficantly more iron than onion - cilantro has 1.8mg of iron per 100 grams and onion has 0.21mg of iron.

potassium

Cilantro is an excellent source of potassium and it has 257% more potassium than onion - cilantro has 521mg of potassium per 100 grams and onion has 146mg 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, cilantro has more quercetin than onion per 100 grams, however, onion contains more isorhamnetin and kaempferol than cilantro per 100 grams.

Cilantro Onion
Quercetin 52.9 mg 20.3 mg
apigenin ~ 0.01 mg
luteolin ~ 0.02 mg
isorhamnetin ~ 5.01 mg
kaempferol ~ 0.65 mg
myricetin ~ 0.03 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,

Cilantro Onion
beta-carotene 3930 UG 1 UG
alpha-carotene 36 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 865 UG 4 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cilantro and onion contain small amounts of linoleic acid.

Cilantro Onion
linoleic acid 0.04 G 0.013 G
Total 0.04 G 0.013 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 Cilantro or Onion .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Cilantro (Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw) and Onion (Onions, raw) .

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FAQ

Does cilantro or onion contain more calories in 100 grams?
Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of calories - cilantro has 23 calories in 100g and onion has 40 calories.

Does cilantro or onion have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of carbs - cilantro has 3.7g of carbs for 100g and onion has 9.3g of carbohydrates.

Does cilantro or onion contain more calcium?
Cilantro is a rich source of calcium and it has 190% more calcium than onion - cilantro has 67mg of calcium in 100 grams and onion has 23mg of calcium.

Does cilantro or onion contain more potassium?
Cilantro is a rich source of potassium and it has 260% more potassium than onion - cilantro has 521mg of potassium in 100 grams and onion has 146mg of potassium.