Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Butterhead Lettuce
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Butterhead Lettuce
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
alfalfa sprouts
versus
butterhead lettuce
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce:
- Alfalfa sprout has more pantothenic acid.
- Butterhead lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K and potassium.
- Butterhead lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Butterhead Lettuce (Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 13 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to butterhead lettuce per calorie. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 53:29:18 and for butterhead lettuce, 33:57:11 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 53% | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 29% | 57% |
| Fat | 18% | 11% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce are low in carbohydrates - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 2.2g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in butterhead lettuce comprise of 54% dietary fiber and 46% sugar.
dietary fiber
Alfalfa sprout has 73% more dietary fiber than butterhead lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of sugar - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 0.94g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Alfalfa sprout has 196% more protein than butterhead lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Alfalfa sprout has 122% more Vitamin C than butterhead lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 3.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Butterhead lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 19 times more Vitamin A than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 166ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 0.18mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Butterhead lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K and it has 235% more Vitamin K than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 102.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Alfalfa sprout has more pantothenic acid. Both alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.057 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.062 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 0.357 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | 0.15 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.082 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 73 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of calcium - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 35mg of calcium.
iron
Alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of iron - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.2mg of iron.
potassium
Butterhead lettuce is a great source of potassium and it has 201% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 238mg 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, both alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce contain significant amounts of quercetin.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 1.7 mg | 2.73 mg |
| kaempferol | ~ | 0.02 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,
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 87 UG | 1987 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 1223 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than butterhead lettuce per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.175 G | 0.083 G |
| Total | 0.175 G | 0.083 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more linoleic acid than butterhead lettuce per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.234 G | 0.034 G |
| Total | 0.234 G | 0.034 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: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Butterhead Lettuce (Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Butterhead Lettuce g
()
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| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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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 % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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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% |
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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% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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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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| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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UG % | |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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UG % | |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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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 butterhead lettuce contain more calories in 100 grams?Alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and butterhead lettuce has 13 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or butterhead lettuce better for protein?
Alfalfa sprout has 200% more protein than butterhead lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and butterhead lettuce has 1.4g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or butterhead lettuce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both alfalfa sprouts and butterhead lettuce are low in carbohydrates - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and butterhead lettuce has 2.2g of carbohydrates. the carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in butterhead lettuce comprise of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar.