Broccoli vs. Leeks

Nutrition comparison of Broccoli and Leeks

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

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

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in broccoli and leeks:

  • Both leeks and broccoli are high in calcium.
  • Broccoli has 53% less carbohydrates than leek.
  • Broccoli has more riboflavin and pantothenic acid.
  • Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin K and dietary fiber.
  • Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamin C and potassium.
  • Leek has more beta-carotene than broccoli, however, broccoli contains more alpha-carotene than leek.
  • Leek is a great source of iron.
Detailed nutritional comparison of broccoli and leeks 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: Broccoli (Broccoli, raw) and Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.

Image of Broccoli src
Image of Leeks src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Broccoli has 44% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories per 100 grams and broccoli has 34 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, broccoli is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and similar to leeks for fat. Broccoli has a macronutrient ratio of 28:65:7 and for leeks, 9:86:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Broccoli Leeks
Protein 28% 9%
Carbohydrates 65% 86%
Fat 7% 5%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Broccoli has 53% less carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and broccoli has 6.6g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Broccoli is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 44% more dietary fiber than leek - leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and broccoli has 2.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Leeks and broccoli contain similar amounts of sugar - leek has 3.9g of sugar per 100 grams and broccoli has 1.7g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Leeks and broccoli contain similar amounts of protein - leek has 1.5g of protein per 100 grams and broccoli has 2.8g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both leeks and broccoli are low in saturated fat - leek has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and broccoli has 0.11g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 643% more Vitamin C than leek - leek has 12mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and broccoli has 89.2mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Leek has 168% more Vitamin A than broccoli - leek has 83ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and broccoli has 31ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Leeks and broccoli contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and broccoli has 0.78mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin K and it has 116% more Vitamin K than leek - leek has 47ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and broccoli has 101.6ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Broccoli has more riboflavin and pantothenic acid. Both broccoli and leeks contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.

Broccoli Leeks
Thiamin 0.071 MG 0.06 MG
Riboflavin 0.117 MG 0.03 MG
Niacin 0.639 MG 0.4 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.573 MG 0.14 MG
Vitamin B6 0.175 MG 0.233 MG
Folate 63 UG 64 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both leeks and broccoli are high in calcium. Leek has 26% more calcium than broccoli - leek has 59mg of calcium per 100 grams and broccoli has 47mg of calcium.

iron

Leek is a great source of iron and it has 188% more iron than broccoli - leek has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and broccoli has 0.73mg of iron.

potassium

Broccoli is an excellent source of potassium and it has 76% more potassium than leek - leek has 180mg of potassium per 100 grams and broccoli has 316mg 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, broccoli has more luteolin, kaempferol and quercetin than leek per 100 grams, however, leek contains more myricetin than broccoli per 100 grams.

Broccoli Leeks
luteolin 0.8 mg ~
kaempferol 7.84 mg 2.67 mg
myricetin 0.06 mg 0.22 mg
Quercetin 3.26 mg 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, leek has more beta-carotene than broccoli per 100 grams, however, broccoli contains more alpha-carotene than leek per 100 grams. Both broccoli and leeks contain significant amounts of lutein + zeaxanthin.

Broccoli Leeks
beta-carotene 361 UG 1000 UG
alpha-carotene 25 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 1403 UG 1900 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, leek has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than broccoli per 100 grams.

Broccoli Leeks
alpha linoleic acid 0.0215 G 0.099 G
Total 0.0215 G 0.099 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both broccoli and leeks contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.

Broccoli Leeks
other omega 6 0.006 G ~
linoleic acid 0.049 G 0.067 G
Total 0.055 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.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Broccoli (Broccoli, raw) and Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) .

Broccoli 91g

( cup )
Daily Values (%)

Leeks 89g

( cup )
31KCAL 2%
calories 74%
54KCAL 3%
6G 2%
carbohydrates 117%
13G 5%
2.4G 10%
50% dietary fiber
1.6G 6%
1.5G sugar 133% 3.5G
0.34G 1%
26% total fat
0.27G 0.4%
0.1G 1%
150% saturated fat
0.04G 0.2%
0.03G >999% monounsaturated fat 0G
0.1G polyunsaturated fat 50% 0.15G
30MG 2%
67% sodium
18MG 1%
Vitamins and Minerals
28UG 4%
Vitamin A 164%
74UG 11%
81MG 108%
636% Vitamin C
11MG 14%
43MG 4%
calcium 23%
53MG 5%
0.66MG 4%
iron 188%
1.9MG 10%
19MG 6%
magnesium 32%
25MG 8%
288MG 13%
80% potassium
160MG 7%
0.06MG 6%
20% thiamin (Vit B1)
0.05MG 5%
0.11MG 10%
266% riboflavin (Vit B2)
0.03MG 2%
0.58MG 4%
61% niacin (Vit B3)
0.36MG 3%
0.16MG 12%
Vitamin B6 31%
0.21MG 16%
0.52MG 10%
333% pantothenic acid (Vit B5)
0.12MG 3%
57UG 14%
folate (Vit B9)
57UG 14%
0.71MG 5%
Vitamin E 15%
0.82MG 6%
92UG 103%
119% Vitamin K
42UG 47%
2.6G 5%
100% protein
1.3G 3%
17MG 4%
100% choline
8.5MG 2%
0.04MG 4%
copper 175%
0.11MG 9%
0.19MG 11%
manganese 126%
0.43MG 24%
60MG 9%
94% phosphorus
31MG 5%
2.3UG 4%
158% selenium
0.89UG 2%
0.37MG 5%
236% zinc
0.11MG 1%
81G 9% Water 74G


NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS (either food): Starch, Alcohol, chlorine, chromium, fluoride, iodine, molybdenum, Vitamin D, biotin (Vit B7), Vitamin B12, cholesterol, trans fat.

FAQ

Does leeks or broccoli contain more calories in 100 grams?
Broccoli has 40% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories in 100g and broccoli has 34 calories.

Does leeks or broccoli have more carbohydrates?
By weight, broccoli has 50% fewer carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of carbs for 100g and broccoli has 6.6g of carbohydrates.

Does leeks or broccoli contain more calcium?
Both leeks and broccoli are high in calcium. Leek has 30% more calcium than broccoli - leek has 59mg of calcium in 100 grams and broccoli has 47mg of calcium.

Does leeks or broccoli contain more potassium?
Broccoli is a rich source of potassium and it has 80% more potassium than leek - leek has 180mg of potassium in 100 grams and broccoli has 316mg of potassium.