Lentils vs. Onion

Nutrition comparison of Cooked Lentils and Onion


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

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

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

  • Lentil has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
  • Lentil is a great source of protein.
  • Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber, iron and potassium.
  • Onion has 54% less carbohydrates than lentil.
Detailed nutritional comparison of lentils 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: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Onion (Onions, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Lentils src
Image of Onion src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Lentil is high in calories and onion has 66% less calories than lentil - onion has 40 calories per 100 grams and lentil has 116 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, lentils is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to onion for fat. Lentils has a macronutrient ratio of 30:67:3 and for onion, 11:87:3 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Lentils Onion
Protein 30% 11%
Carbohydrates 67% 87%
Fat 3% 3%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Onion has 54% less carbohydrates than lentil - onion has 9.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 365% more dietary fiber than onion - onion has 1.7g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and lentil has 7.9g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Onion and lentils contain similar amounts of sugar - onion has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and lentil has 1.8g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Lentil is a great source of protein and it has 720% more protein than onion - onion has 1.1g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both onion and lentils are low in saturated fat - onion has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and lentil has 0.05g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Onion has 393% more Vitamin C than lentil - onion has 7.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and lentil has 1.5mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Lentils and onion contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - lentil has 2.4ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and onion does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Onion and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - onion has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and lentil has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Onion and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - onion has 0.4ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and lentil has 1.7ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Lentils Onion
Thiamin 0.169 MG 0.046 MG
Riboflavin 0.073 MG 0.027 MG
Niacin 1.06 MG 0.116 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.638 MG 0.123 MG
Vitamin B6 0.178 MG 0.12 MG
Folate 181 UG 19 UG

Minerals

calcium

Onion and lentils contain similar amounts of calcium - onion has 23mg of calcium per 100 grams and lentil has 19mg of calcium.

iron

Lentil is an excellent source of iron and it has 14 times more iron than onion - onion has 0.21mg of iron per 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

potassium

Lentil is an excellent source of potassium and it has 153% more potassium than onion - onion has 146mg 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, both lentils and onion contain small amounts of beta-carotene.

Lentils Onion
beta-carotene 5 UG 1 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin ~ 4 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Lentils Onion
alpha linoleic acid 0.037 G 0.004 G
Total 0.037 G 0.004 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, lentil has more linoleic acid than onion per 100 grams.

Lentils Onion
linoleic acid 0.137 G 0.013 G
Total 0.137 G 0.013 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: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Onion (Onions, raw) .

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FAQ

Does onion or lentils contain more calories in 100 grams?
Lentil is high in calories and onion has 70% less calories than lentil - onion has 40 calories in 100g and lentil has 116 calories.

Does onion or lentils have more carbohydrates?
By weight, onion has 50% fewer carbohydrates than lentil - onion has 9.3g of carbs for 100g and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

Does onion or lentils contain more iron?
Lentil is an abundant source of iron and it has 14 times more iron than onion - onion has 0.21mg of iron in 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

Does onion or lentils contain more potassium?
Lentil is a rich source of potassium and it has 150% more potassium than onion - onion has 146mg of potassium in 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.

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