Lentils vs. Broccoli
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Lentils and Broccoli
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
lentils
versus
broccoli
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in lentils and broccoli:
- Both broccoli and lentils are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
- Broccoli has 67% less carbohydrates than lentil.
- Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin K and calcium.
- Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
- Lentil has more thiamin and folate.
- Lentil is a great source of protein.
- Lentil is an excellent source of iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Broccoli (Broccoli, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Lentil is high in calories and broccoli has 71% less calories than lentil - broccoli has 34 calories per 100 grams and lentil has 116 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, lentils is lighter in fat and similar to broccoli for protein and carbs. Lentils has a macronutrient ratio of 30:67:3 and for broccoli, 28:65:7 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Lentils | Broccoli | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 30% | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 67% | 65% |
| Fat | 3% | 7% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Broccoli has 67% less carbohydrates than lentil - broccoli has 6.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both broccoli and lentils are high in dietary fiber. Lentil has 204% more dietary fiber than broccoli - broccoli has 2.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and lentil has 7.9g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Broccoli and lentils contain similar amounts of sugar - broccoli has 1.7g of sugar per 100 grams and lentil has 1.8g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Lentil is a great source of protein and it has 220% more protein than broccoli - broccoli has 2.8g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both broccoli and lentils are low in saturated fat - broccoli has 0.11g of saturated fat per 100 grams and lentil has 0.05g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 58 times more Vitamin C than lentil - broccoli has 89.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and lentil has 1.5mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Broccoli has more Vitamin A than lentil - broccoli has 31ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Broccoli and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - broccoli has 0.78mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and lentil has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin K and it has 58 times more Vitamin K than lentil - broccoli has 101.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and lentil has 1.7ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Lentil has more thiamin and folate. Both lentils and broccoli contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Lentils | Broccoli | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.169 MG | 0.071 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.073 MG | 0.117 MG |
| Niacin | 1.06 MG | 0.639 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.638 MG | 0.573 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.178 MG | 0.175 MG |
| Folate | 181 UG | 63 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Broccoli is a great source of calcium and it has 147% more calcium than lentil - broccoli has 47mg of calcium per 100 grams and lentil has 19mg of calcium.
iron
Lentil is an excellent source of iron and it has 356% more iron than broccoli - broccoli has 0.73mg of iron per 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.
potassium
Both broccoli and lentils are high in potassium. Lentil has 17% more potassium than broccoli - broccoli has 316mg of potassium per 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
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,
| Lentils | Broccoli | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 5 UG | 361 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 25 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 1403 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both lentils and broccoli contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Lentils | Broccoli | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.037 G | 0.0215 G |
| Total | 0.037 G | 0.0215 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, lentil has more linoleic acid than broccoli per 100 grams.
| Lentils | Broccoli | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.137 G | 0.049 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.006 G |
| Total | 0.137 G | 0.055 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.
Cooked Lentils g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Broccoli 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 broccoli or lentils contain more calories in 100 grams?Lentil is high in calories and broccoli has 70% less calories than lentil - broccoli has 34 calories in 100g and lentil has 116 calories.
Does broccoli or lentils have more carbohydrates?
By weight, broccoli has 70% fewer carbohydrates than lentil - broccoli has 6.6g of carbs for 100g and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.
Does broccoli or lentils contain more iron?
Lentil is an abundant source of iron and it has 360% more iron than broccoli - broccoli has 0.73mg of iron in 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.
Does broccoli or lentils contain more potassium?
Both broccoli and lentils are high in potassium. Lentil has 20% more potassium than broccoli - broccoli has 316mg of potassium in 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.