Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Onion
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Onion
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
alfalfa sprouts
versus
onion
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and onion:
- Alfalfa sprout has 20.2 times less sugar than onion.
- Alfalfa sprout has 3.4 times less carbohydrates than onion.
- Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, however, onion contains more Vitamin B6.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Onion (Onions, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Alfalfa sprouts and onion contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and onion has 40 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to onion per calorie. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 53:29:18 and for onion, 11:87:3 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 53% | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 29% | 87% |
| Fat | 18% | 3% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Alfalfa sprout has 3.4 times less carbohydrates than onion - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and onion has 9.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Alfalfa sprouts and onion contain similar amounts of dietary fiber - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and onion has 1.7g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprout has 20.2 times less sugar than onion - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and onion has 4.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Alfalfa sprout has 263% more protein than onion - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and onion has 1.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and onion are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and onion has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Alfalfa sprouts and onion contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and onion has 7.4mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Alfalfa sprout has more Vitamin A than onion - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and onion does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and onion contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and onion has 0.02mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Alfalfa sprout has 75 times more Vitamin K than onion - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and onion has 0.4ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, however, onion contains more Vitamin B6. Both alfalfa sprouts and onion contain significant amounts of thiamin and folate.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.046 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.027 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 0.116 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | 0.123 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 19 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Alfalfa sprout has 39% more calcium than onion - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and onion has 23mg of calcium.
iron
Alfalfa sprout has 357% more iron than onion - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and onion has 0.21mg of iron.
potassium
Onion has 85% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and onion has 146mg 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,
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 1.7 mg | 20.3 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.01 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.02 mg |
| isorhamnetin | ~ | 5.01 mg |
| kaempferol | ~ | 0.65 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.03 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,
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 87 UG | 1 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 4 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than onion per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.175 G | 0.004 G |
| Total | 0.175 G | 0.004 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more linoleic acid than onion per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.234 G | 0.013 G |
| Total | 0.234 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: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Onion (Onions, raw) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Onion 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 alfalfa sprouts or onion contain more calories in 100 grams?Alfalfa sprouts and onion contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and onion has 40 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or onion better for protein?
Alfalfa sprout has 260% more protein than onion - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and onion has 1.1g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or onion have more carbohydrates?
By weight, alfalfa sprout has 3.4 times fewer carbohydrates than onion - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and onion has 9.3g of carbohydrates.