Pasta vs. Broccoli

Nutrition comparison of Pasta and Broccoli


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

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

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

  • Both pasta and broccoli are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin K and calcium.
  • Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
  • Pasta has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate.
  • Pasta is an excellent source of iron and protein.
Detailed nutritional comparison of pasta and broccoli 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: Pasta (Pasta, dry, enriched) and Broccoli (Broccoli, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Pasta src
Image of Broccoli src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Pasta is high in calories and broccoli has 91% less calories than pasta - pasta has 371 calories per 100 grams and broccoli has 34 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, pasta is lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and similar to broccoli for fat. Pasta has a macronutrient ratio of 14:82:4 and for broccoli, 28:65:7 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Pasta Broccoli
Protein 14% 28%
Carbohydrates 82% 65%
Fat 4% 7%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Pasta is high in carbohydrates and broccoli has 91% less carbohydrates than pasta - pasta has 74.7g of total carbs per 100 grams and broccoli has 6.6g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both pasta and broccoli are high in dietary fiber. Pasta has 23% more dietary fiber than broccoli - pasta has 3.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and broccoli has 2.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Pasta and broccoli contain similar amounts of sugar - pasta has 2.7g of sugar per 100 grams and broccoli has 1.7g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Pasta is an excellent source of protein and it has 362% more protein than broccoli - pasta has 13g of protein per 100 grams and broccoli has 2.8g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both pasta and broccoli are low in saturated fat - pasta has 0.28g 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 more Vitamin C than pasta - broccoli has 89.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and pasta does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

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

Vitamin E

Pasta and broccoli contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - pasta has 0.11mg 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 1015 times more Vitamin K than pasta - pasta has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and broccoli has 101.6ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Pasta Broccoli
Thiamin 0.891 MG 0.071 MG
Riboflavin 0.4 MG 0.117 MG
Niacin 7.177 MG 0.639 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.431 MG 0.573 MG
Vitamin B6 0.142 MG 0.175 MG
Folate 237 UG 63 UG

Minerals

calcium

Broccoli is a great source of calcium and it has 124% more calcium than pasta - pasta has 21mg of calcium per 100 grams and broccoli has 47mg of calcium.

iron

Pasta is an excellent source of iron and it has 352% more iron than broccoli - pasta has 3.3mg of iron per 100 grams and broccoli has 0.73mg of iron.

potassium

Both pasta and broccoli are high in potassium. Broccoli has 42% more potassium than pasta - pasta has 223mg of potassium per 100 grams and broccoli has 316mg 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,

Pasta Broccoli
lutein + zeaxanthin 18 UG 1403 UG
beta-carotene ~ 361 UG
alpha-carotene ~ 25 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, both pasta and broccoli contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Pasta Broccoli
alpha linoleic acid 0.024 G 0.0215 G
Total 0.024 G 0.0215 G

omega 6s

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

Pasta Broccoli
linoleic acid 0.54 G 0.049 G
other omega 6 ~ 0.006 G
Total 0.54 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.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Pasta (Pasta, dry, enriched) and Broccoli (Broccoli, raw) .

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FAQ

Does pasta or broccoli contain more calories in 100 grams?
Pasta is high in calories and broccoli has 90% less calories than pasta - pasta has 371 calories in 100g and broccoli has 34 calories.

Does pasta or broccoli have more carbohydrates?
By weight, pasta is high in carbohydrates and broccoli has 90% fewer carbohydrates than pasta - pasta has 74.7g of carbs for 100g and broccoli has 6.6g of carbohydrates.

Does pasta or broccoli contain more iron?
Pasta is an abundant source of iron and it has 350% more iron than broccoli - pasta has 3.3mg of iron in 100 grams and broccoli has 0.73mg of iron.

Does pasta or broccoli contain more potassium?
Both pasta and broccoli are high in potassium. Broccoli has 40% more potassium than pasta - pasta has 223mg of potassium in 100 grams and broccoli has 316mg of potassium.

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