Onion vs. Russet Potato

Nutrition comparison of Onion and Russet Potato


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

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

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

  • Russet potato has more niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
  • Russet potato is an excellent source of potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of onion and russet potato 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: Onion (Onions, raw) and Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Onion src
Image of Russet Potato src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Onion has 49% less calories than russet potato - onion has 40 calories per 100 grams and russet potato has 79 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, onion is similar to russet potato for protein, carbs and fat. Onion has a macronutrient ratio of 10:88:2 and for russet potato, 10:89:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Onion Russet Potato
Protein 10% 10%
Carbohydrates 88% 89%
Fat 2% 1%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Onion has 48% less carbohydrates than russet potato - onion has 9.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and russet potato has 18.1g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Onion and russet potato contain similar amounts of dietary fiber - onion has 1.7g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and russet potato has 1.3g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Onion and russet potato contain similar amounts of sugar - onion has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.62g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Onion and russet potato contain similar amounts of protein - onion has 1.1g of protein per 100 grams and russet potato has 2.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both onion and russet potato are low in saturated fat - onion has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.03g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Onion and russet potato contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - onion has 7.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and russet potato has 5.7mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Russet potato and onion contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - russet potato has 0.3ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and onion does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Onion and russet potato contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - onion has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.01mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Onion and russet potato contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - onion has 0.4ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and russet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Russet potato has more niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6. Both onion and russet potato contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin and folate.

Onion Russet Potato
Thiamin 0.046 MG 0.082 MG
Riboflavin 0.027 MG 0.033 MG
Niacin 0.116 MG 1.035 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.123 MG 0.301 MG
Vitamin B6 0.12 MG 0.345 MG
Folate 19 UG 14 UG

Minerals

calcium

Onion has 77% more calcium than russet potato - onion has 23mg of calcium per 100 grams and russet potato has 13mg of calcium.

iron

Russet potato has 310% more iron than onion - onion has 0.21mg of iron per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.86mg of iron.

potassium

Russet potato is an excellent source of potassium and it has 186% more potassium than onion - onion has 146mg of potassium per 100 grams and russet potato has 417mg 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 onion and russet potato contain small amounts of lutein + zeaxanthin.

Onion Russet Potato
beta-carotene 1 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 4 UG 5 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, both onion and russet potato contain small amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Onion Russet Potato
alpha linoleic acid 0.004 G 0.01 G
Total 0.004 G 0.01 G

omega 6s

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

Onion Russet Potato
linoleic acid 0.013 G 0.032 G
Total 0.013 G 0.032 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Onion or Russet Potato .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Onion (Onions, raw) and Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) .

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FAQ

Does onion or russet potato contain more calories in 100 grams?
Onion has 50% less calories than russet potato - onion has 40 calories in 100g and russet potato has 79 calories.

Does onion or russet potato have more carbohydrates?
By weight, onion has 50% fewer carbohydrates than russet potato - onion has 9.3g of carbs for 100g and russet potato has 18.1g of carbohydrates.

Does onion or russet potato contain more potassium?
Russet potato is a rich source of potassium and it has 190% more potassium than onion - onion has 146mg of potassium in 100 grams and russet potato has 417mg of potassium.