Asparagus vs. Romaine Lettuce
Nutrition comparison of Asparagus and Romaine Lettuce
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
asparagus
versus
romaine lettuce
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in asparagus and romaine lettuce:
- Both asparagus and romaine lettuce are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
- Asparagus has more riboflavin and niacin, however, romaine lettuce contains more folate.
- Asparagus is a great source of iron.
- Romaine lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K.
- Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 17 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, asparagus is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and lighter in fat compared to romaine lettuce per calorie. Asparagus has a macronutrient ratio of 34:61:5 and for romaine lettuce, 26:65:10 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Asparagus | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 34% | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 61% | 65% |
| Fat | 5% | 10% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both asparagus and romaine lettuce are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 3.3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in asparagus are made of 53% dietary fiber and 47% sugar, whereas the carbs in romaine lettuce comprise of 64% dietary fiber and 36% sugar.
dietary fiber
Both asparagus and romaine lettuce are high in dietary fiber. is very similar to asparagus for dietary fiber - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 2.1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 1.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 1.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and romaine lettuce are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Asparagus and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 4mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 10 times more Vitamin A than asparagus - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 436ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.13mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Romaine lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K and it has 146% more Vitamin K than asparagus - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 102.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Asparagus has more riboflavin and niacin, however, romaine lettuce contains more folate. Both asparagus and romaine lettuce contain significant amounts of thiamin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Asparagus | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.143 MG | 0.072 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.141 MG | 0.067 MG |
| Niacin | 0.978 MG | 0.313 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.274 MG | 0.142 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.074 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 136 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Romaine lettuce has 38% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 33mg of calcium.
iron
Asparagus is a great source of iron and it has 121% more iron than romaine lettuce - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.97mg of iron.
potassium
Both asparagus and romaine lettuce are high in potassium. Romaine lettuce has 22% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 247mg 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,
| Asparagus | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 5.7 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 1.39 mg | 0.02 mg |
| Quercetin | 13.98 mg | 2.2 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.05 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,
| Asparagus | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | 5226 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 9 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 710 UG | 2312 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, romaine lettuce has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than asparagus per 100 grams.
| Asparagus | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.01 G | 0.113 G |
| Total | 0.01 G | 0.113 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both asparagus and romaine lettuce contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Asparagus | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.047 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.047 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: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) .
Asparagus g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Romaine Lettuce g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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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 % |
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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 % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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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 asparagus or romaine lettuce contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and romaine lettuce has 17 calories.
Is asparagus or romaine lettuce better for protein?
Asparagus and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 1.2g of protein.
Does asparagus or romaine lettuce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both asparagus and romaine lettuce are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and romaine lettuce has 3.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in asparagus are made of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar, whereas the carbs in romaine lettuce comprise of 60% dietary fiber and 40% sugar.
Does asparagus or romaine lettuce contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and romaine lettuce are high in potassium. Romaine lettuce has 20% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 247mg of potassium.