Cilantro vs. Romaine Lettuce

Nutrition comparison of Cilantro and Romaine Lettuce


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

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

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

  • Both romaine lettuce and cilantro are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin K, dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Cilantro has more alpha-carotene than romaine lettuce, however, romaine lettuce contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than cilantro.
  • Cilantro has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, however, romaine lettuce contains more folate.
  • Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin C and calcium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of cilantro and romaine 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: Cilantro (Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw) and Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Cilantro src
Image of Romaine Lettuce src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Romaine lettuce and cilantro contain similar amounts of calories - romaine lettuce has 17 calories per 100 grams and cilantro has 23 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, cilantro is lighter in carbs, heavier in fat and similar to romaine lettuce for protein. Cilantro has a macronutrient ratio of 27:53:20 and for romaine lettuce, 26:65:10 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Cilantro Romaine Lettuce
Protein 27% 26%
Carbohydrates 53% 65%
Fat 20% 10%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both romaine lettuce and cilantro are low in carbohydrates - romaine lettuce has 3.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and cilantro has 3.7g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in romaine lettuce are made of 64% dietary fiber and 36% sugar, whereas the carbs in cilantro comprise of 76% dietary fiber and 24% sugar.

dietary fiber

Both romaine lettuce and cilantro are high in dietary fiber. Cilantro has 33% more dietary fiber than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cilantro has 2.8g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Romaine lettuce and cilantro contain similar amounts of sugar - romaine lettuce has 1.2g of sugar per 100 grams and cilantro has 0.87g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Romaine lettuce and cilantro contain similar amounts of protein - romaine lettuce has 1.2g of protein per 100 grams and cilantro has 2.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

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

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 575% more Vitamin C than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cilantro has 27mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Both romaine lettuce and cilantro are high in Vitamin A. Romaine lettuce has 29% more Vitamin A than cilantro - romaine lettuce has 436ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cilantro has 337ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Cilantro has 18 times more Vitamin E than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 0.13mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cilantro has 2.5mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Both romaine lettuce and cilantro are high in Vitamin K. Cilantro has 202% more Vitamin K than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 102.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cilantro has 310ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Cilantro Romaine Lettuce
Thiamin 0.067 MG 0.072 MG
Riboflavin 0.162 MG 0.067 MG
Niacin 1.114 MG 0.313 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.57 MG 0.142 MG
Vitamin B6 0.149 MG 0.074 MG
Folate 62 UG 136 UG

Minerals

calcium

Cilantro is an excellent source of calcium and it has 103% more calcium than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 33mg of calcium per 100 grams and cilantro has 67mg of calcium.

iron

Cilantro has 82% more iron than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 0.97mg of iron per 100 grams and cilantro has 1.8mg of iron.

potassium

Both romaine lettuce and cilantro are high in potassium. Cilantro has 111% more potassium than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 247mg of potassium per 100 grams and cilantro has 521mg 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 Romaine Lettuce
Quercetin 52.9 mg 2.2 mg
luteolin ~ 0.05 mg
kaempferol ~ 0.02 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 has more alpha-carotene than romaine lettuce per 100 grams, however, romaine lettuce contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than cilantro per 100 grams. Both cilantro and romaine lettuce contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.

Cilantro Romaine Lettuce
beta-carotene 3930 UG 5226 UG
alpha-carotene 36 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 865 UG 2312 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 6s

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

Cilantro Romaine Lettuce
linoleic acid 0.04 G 0.047 G
Total 0.04 G 0.047 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: Cilantro (Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw) and Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) .

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FAQ

Does romaine lettuce or cilantro contain more calories in 100 grams?
Romaine lettuce and cilantro contain similar amounts of calories - romaine lettuce has 17 calories in 100g and cilantro has 23 calories.

Does romaine lettuce or cilantro have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both romaine lettuce and cilantro are low in carbohydrates - romaine lettuce has 3.3g of carbs for 100g and cilantro has 3.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in romaine lettuce are made of 60% dietary fiber and 40% sugar, whereas the carbs in cilantro comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.

Does romaine lettuce or cilantro contain more calcium?
Cilantro is a rich source of calcium and it has 100% more calcium than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 33mg of calcium in 100 grams and cilantro has 67mg of calcium.

Does romaine lettuce or cilantro contain more potassium?
Both romaine lettuce and cilantro are high in potassium. Cilantro has 110% more potassium than romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce has 247mg of potassium in 100 grams and cilantro has 521mg of potassium.