Broccoli vs. Onion

Nutrition comparison of Broccoli and Onion


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

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

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

  • Broccoli has more riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
  • Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin K, calcium and dietary fiber.
  • Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamin C and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of broccoli 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: Broccoli (Broccoli, raw) and Onion (Onions, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Broccoli src
Image of Onion src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Onion and broccoli contain similar amounts of calories - onion has 40 calories per 100 grams and broccoli has 34 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, broccoli is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to onion per calorie. Broccoli has a macronutrient ratio of 28:65:7 and for onion, 11:87:3 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Broccoli Onion
Protein 28% 11%
Carbohydrates 65% 87%
Fat 7% 3%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Onion and broccoli contain similar amounts of carbs - onion has 9.3g 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 53% more dietary fiber than onion - onion has 1.7g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and broccoli has 2.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Onion and broccoli contain similar amounts of sugar - onion has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and broccoli has 1.7g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Broccoli has 156% more protein than onion - onion has 1.1g of protein per 100 grams and broccoli has 2.8g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both onion and broccoli are low in saturated fat - onion 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 11 times more Vitamin C than onion - onion has 7.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and broccoli has 89.2mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Broccoli has more Vitamin A than onion - broccoli has 31ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and onion does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Onion and broccoli contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - onion has 0.02mg 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 253 times more Vitamin K than onion - onion has 0.4ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and broccoli has 101.6ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Broccoli Onion
Thiamin 0.071 MG 0.046 MG
Riboflavin 0.117 MG 0.027 MG
Niacin 0.639 MG 0.116 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.573 MG 0.123 MG
Vitamin B6 0.175 MG 0.12 MG
Folate 63 UG 19 UG

Minerals

calcium

Broccoli is a great source of calcium and it has 104% more calcium than onion - onion has 23mg of calcium per 100 grams and broccoli has 47mg of calcium.

iron

Broccoli has 248% more iron than onion - onion has 0.21mg of iron per 100 grams and broccoli has 0.73mg of iron.

potassium

Broccoli is an excellent source of potassium and it has 116% more potassium than onion - onion has 146mg 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 and kaempferol than onion per 100 grams, however, onion contains more quercetin and isorhamnetin than broccoli per 100 grams. Both broccoli and onion contain small amounts of myricetin.

Broccoli Onion
luteolin 0.8 mg 0.02 mg
kaempferol 7.84 mg 0.65 mg
myricetin 0.06 mg 0.03 mg
Quercetin 3.26 mg 20.3 mg
apigenin ~ 0.01 mg
isorhamnetin ~ 5.01 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,

Broccoli Onion
beta-carotene 361 UG 1 UG
alpha-carotene 25 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 1403 UG 4 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Broccoli Onion
alpha linoleic acid 0.0215 G 0.004 G
Total 0.0215 G 0.004 G

omega 6s

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

Broccoli Onion
other omega 6 0.006 G ~
linoleic acid 0.049 G 0.013 G
Total 0.055 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: Broccoli (Broccoli, raw) and Onion (Onions, raw) .

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FAQ

Does onion or broccoli contain more calories in 100 grams?
Onion and broccoli contain similar amounts of calories - onion has 40 calories in 100g and broccoli has 34 calories.

Does onion or broccoli have more carbohydrates?
By weight, onion and broccoli contain similar amounts of carbs - onion has 9.3g of carbs for 100g and broccoli has 6.6g of carbohydrates.

Does onion or broccoli contain more potassium?
Broccoli is a rich source of potassium and it has 120% more potassium than onion - onion has 146mg of potassium in 100 grams and broccoli has 316mg of potassium.