Peas vs. Spirulina
Nutrition comparison of Peas and Spirulina
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
peas
versus
spirulina
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in peas and spirulina:
- Both peas and spirulina are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
- Pea has 36.3 times less saturated fat than spirulina.
- Pea is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
- Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
- Spirulina is an excellent source of calcium, iron and protein.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Peas (Peas, green, raw) and Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Spirulina is high in calories and pea has 72% less calories than spirulina - pea has 81 calories per 100 grams and spirulina has 290 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, peas is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to spirulina per calorie. Peas has a macronutrient ratio of 26:69:5 and for spirulina, 58:24:18 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Peas | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 26% | 58% |
| Carbohydrates | 69% | 24% |
| Fat | 5% | 18% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Pea has 40% less carbohydrates than spirulina - pea has 14.5g of total carbs per 100 grams and spirulina has 23.9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both peas and spirulina are high in dietary fiber. Pea has 58% more dietary fiber than spirulina - pea has 5.7g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and spirulina has 3.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Peas and spirulina contain similar amounts of sugar - pea has 5.7g of sugar per 100 grams and spirulina has 3.1g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Spirulina is an excellent source of protein and it has 960% more protein than pea - pea has 5.4g of protein per 100 grams and spirulina has 57.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Pea has 36.3 times less saturated fat than spirulina - pea has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and spirulina has 2.7g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Pea is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 296% more Vitamin C than spirulina - pea has 40mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and spirulina has 10.1mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Peas and spirulina contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - pea has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and spirulina has 29ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Spirulina has 37 times more Vitamin E than pea - pea has 0.13mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and spirulina has 5mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Peas and spirulina contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - pea has 24.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and spirulina has 25.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6. Both peas and spirulina contain significant amounts of folate.
| Peas | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.266 MG | 2.38 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.132 MG | 3.67 MG |
| Niacin | 2.09 MG | 12.82 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.104 MG | 3.48 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.169 MG | 0.364 MG |
| Folate | 65 UG | 94 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Spirulina is an excellent source of calcium and it has 380% more calcium than pea - pea has 25mg of calcium per 100 grams and spirulina has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Spirulina is an excellent source of iron and it has 18 times more iron than pea - pea has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and spirulina has 28.5mg of iron.
potassium
Both peas and spirulina are high in potassium. Spirulina has 459% more potassium than pea - pea has 244mg of potassium per 100 grams and spirulina has 1363mg 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 peas and spirulina contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Peas | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | 342 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 21 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 2477 UG | ~ |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, spirulina has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than pea per 100 grams.
| Peas | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.035 G | 0.823 G |
| Total | 0.035 G | 0.823 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, spirulina has more linoleic acid than pea per 100 grams.
| Peas | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.152 G | 1.254 G |
| Total | 0.152 G | 1.254 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.
Peas g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Spirulina 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 peas or spirulina contain more calories in 100 grams?Spirulina is high in calories and pea has 70% less calories than spirulina - pea has 81 calories in 100g and spirulina has 290 calories.
Is peas or spirulina better for protein?
Spirulina is a fantastic source of protein and it has 960% more protein than pea - pea has 5.4g of protein per 100 grams and spirulina has 57.5g of protein.
Does peas or spirulina have more carbohydrates?
By weight, pea has 40% fewer carbohydrates than spirulina - pea has 14.5g of carbs for 100g and spirulina has 23.9g of carbohydrates.
Does peas or spirulina contain more calcium?
Spirulina is a rich source of calcium and it has 380% more calcium than pea - pea has 25mg of calcium in 100 grams and spirulina has 120mg of calcium.
Does peas or spirulina contain more iron?
Spirulina is an abundant source of iron and it has 18 times more iron than pea - pea has 1.5mg of iron in 100 grams and spirulina has 28.5mg of iron.
Does peas or spirulina contain more potassium?
Both peas and spirulina are high in potassium. Spirulina has 460% more potassium than pea - pea has 244mg of potassium in 100 grams and spirulina has 1363mg of potassium.