Leeks vs. Scallion
Nutrition comparison of Leeks and Scallion
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
leeks
versus
scallion
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in leeks and scallion:
- Both leeks and scallion are high in calcium.
- Leek is a great source of iron.
- Scallion has more riboflavin, however, leek contains more Vitamin B6.
- Scallion is a great source of dietary fiber and potassium.
- Scallion is an excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) and Scallion (Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Scallion has 48% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories per 100 grams and scallion has 32 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, leeks is lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and similar to scallion for fat. Leeks has a macronutrient ratio of 9:86:5 and for scallion, 19:76:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Leeks | Scallion | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 9% | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 86% | 76% |
| Fat | 5% | 5% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Scallion has 48% less carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and scallion has 7.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Scallion is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 44% more dietary fiber than leek - leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and scallion has 2.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Leeks and scallion contain similar amounts of sugar - leek has 3.9g of sugar per 100 grams and scallion has 2.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Leeks and scallion contain similar amounts of protein - leek has 1.5g of protein per 100 grams and scallion has 1.8g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both leeks and scallion are low in saturated fat - leek has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and scallion has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Scallion is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 57% more Vitamin C than leek - leek has 12mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and scallion has 18.8mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Leek has 66% more Vitamin A than scallion - leek has 83ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and scallion has 50ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Leeks and scallion contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and scallion has 0.55mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Scallion is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 340% more Vitamin K than leek - leek has 47ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and scallion has 207ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Scallion has more riboflavin, however, leek contains more Vitamin B6. Both leeks and scallion contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
| Leeks | Scallion | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.06 MG | 0.055 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.03 MG | 0.08 MG |
| Niacin | 0.4 MG | 0.525 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.14 MG | 0.075 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.233 MG | 0.061 MG |
| Folate | 64 UG | 64 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both leeks and scallion are high in calcium. Scallion has 22% more calcium than leek - leek has 59mg of calcium per 100 grams and scallion has 72mg of calcium.
iron
Leek is a great source of iron and it has 42% more iron than scallion - leek has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and scallion has 1.5mg of iron.
potassium
Scallion is a great source of potassium and it has 53% more potassium than leek - leek has 180mg of potassium per 100 grams and scallion has 276mg 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, leek has more myricetin than scallion per 100 grams, however, scallion contains more quercetin than leek per 100 grams. Both leeks and scallion contain significant amounts of kaempferol.
| Leeks | Scallion | |
|---|---|---|
| kaempferol | 2.67 mg | 1.36 mg |
| myricetin | 0.22 mg | ~ |
| Quercetin | 0.09 mg | 10.68 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, both leeks and scallion contain significant amounts of beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Leeks | Scallion | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 1000 UG | 598 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1900 UG | 1137 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, leek has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than scallion per 100 grams.
| Leeks | Scallion | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.099 G | 0.004 G |
| Total | 0.099 G | 0.004 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both leeks and scallion contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Leeks | Scallion | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.067 G | 0.07 G |
| Total | 0.067 G | 0.07 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.
Leeks g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Scallion 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 leeks or scallion contain more calories in 100 grams?Scallion has 50% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories in 100g and scallion has 32 calories.
Does leeks or scallion have more carbohydrates?
By weight, scallion has 50% fewer carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of carbs for 100g and scallion has 7.3g of carbohydrates.
Does leeks or scallion contain more calcium?
Both leeks and scallion are high in calcium. Scallion has 20% more calcium than leek - leek has 59mg of calcium in 100 grams and scallion has 72mg of calcium.