Fennel vs. Leeks
Nutrition comparison of Fennel and Leeks
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
fennel
versus
leeks
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in fennel and leeks:
- Both leeks and fennel are high in calcium.
- Fennel is an excellent source of dietary fiber and potassium.
- Leek has more thiamin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Leek is a great source of iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Fennel (Fennel, bulb, raw) and Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Fennel has 49% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories per 100 grams and fennel has 31 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, fennel is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to leeks for fat. Fennel has a macronutrient ratio of 14:81:6 and for leeks, 9:86:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Fennel | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 14% | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 81% | 86% |
| Fat | 6% | 5% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Fennel has 48% less carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and fennel has 7.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Fennel is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 72% more dietary fiber than leek - leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and fennel has 3.1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Leeks and fennel contain similar amounts of sugar - leek has 3.9g of sugar per 100 grams and fennel has 3.9g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Leeks and fennel contain similar amounts of protein - leek has 1.5g of protein per 100 grams and fennel has 1.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both leeks and fennel are low in saturated fat - leek has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and fennel has 0.09g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Leeks and fennel contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - leek has 12mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and fennel has 12mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Leek has 73% more Vitamin A than fennel - leek has 83ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and fennel has 48ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Leeks and fennel contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and fennel has 0.58mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Leeks and fennel contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - leek has 47ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and fennel has 62.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Leek has more thiamin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both fennel and leeks contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
| Fennel | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.01 MG | 0.06 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.032 MG | 0.03 MG |
| Niacin | 0.64 MG | 0.4 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.232 MG | 0.14 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.047 MG | 0.233 MG |
| Folate | 27 UG | 64 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both leeks and fennel are high in calcium. Leek has 20% more calcium than fennel - leek has 59mg of calcium per 100 grams and fennel has 49mg of calcium.
iron
Leek is a great source of iron and it has 188% more iron than fennel - leek has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and fennel has 0.73mg of iron.
potassium
Fennel is an excellent source of potassium and it has 130% more potassium than leek - leek has 180mg of potassium per 100 grams and fennel has 414mg 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, fennel has more quercetin than leek per 100 grams, however, leek contains more kaempferol and myricetin than fennel per 100 grams.
| Fennel | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 0.23 mg | 0.09 mg |
| kaempferol | ~ | 2.67 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.22 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 fennel and leeks contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Fennel | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 578 UG | 1000 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 607 UG | 1900 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, fennel has more linoleic acid than leek per 100 grams.
| Fennel | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.169 G | 0.067 G |
| Total | 0.169 G | 0.067 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.
Fennel g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Leeks 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 leeks or fennel contain more calories in 100 grams?Fennel has 50% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories in 100g and fennel has 31 calories.
Does leeks or fennel have more carbohydrates?
By weight, fennel has 50% fewer carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of carbs for 100g and fennel has 7.3g of carbohydrates.
Does leeks or fennel contain more calcium?
Both leeks and fennel are high in calcium. Leek has 20% more calcium than fennel - leek has 59mg of calcium in 100 grams and fennel has 49mg of calcium.
Does leeks or fennel contain more potassium?
Fennel is a rich source of potassium and it has 130% more potassium than leek - leek has 180mg of potassium in 100 grams and fennel has 414mg of potassium.