Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Pea Shoots
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Pea Shoots
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
alfalfa sprouts
versus
pea shoots
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots:
- Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, pea shoot contains more niacin and Vitamin B6.
- Pea shoot is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Pea shoot is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Pea Shoots (ORGANIC PEA SHOOTS) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and pea shoot has 35 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to pea shoots per calorie. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 53:29:18 and for pea shoots, 23:69:8 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Pea Shoots | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 53% | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 29% | 69% |
| Fat | 18% | 8% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots contain similar amounts of carbs - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and pea shoot has 7.1g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Pea shoot is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 26% more dietary fiber than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and pea shoot has 2.4g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots contain similar amounts of sugar - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and pea shoot has 3.5g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Alfalfa sprout has 70% more protein than pea shoot - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and pea shoot has 2.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and pea shoot does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Pea shoot is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 201% more Vitamin C than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and pea shoot has 24.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and pea shoot has 12ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and pea shoot does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin K
Alfalfa sprout has more Vitamin K than pea shoot - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and pea shoot does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, pea shoot contains more niacin and Vitamin B6. Both alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots contain significant amounts of thiamin and folate.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Pea Shoots | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.1 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.05 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 1 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | ~ |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.1 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 62 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Alfalfa sprout has 33% more calcium than pea shoot - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and pea shoot has 24mg of calcium.
iron
Alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots contain similar amounts of iron - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and pea shoot has 1.3mg of iron.
potassium
Pea shoot has 103% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and pea shoot has 160mg of potassium.
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 Pea Shoots (ORGANIC PEA SHOOTS) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Pea Shoots g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does alfalfa sprouts or pea shoots contain more calories in 100 grams?Alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and pea shoot has 35 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or pea shoots better for protein?
Alfalfa sprout has 70% more protein than pea shoot - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and pea shoot has 2.4g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or pea shoots have more carbohydrates?
By weight, alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots contain similar amounts of carbs - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and pea shoot has 7.1g of carbohydrates.