Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Cabbage
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Cabbage
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
alfalfa sprouts
versus
cabbage
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and cabbage:
- Alfalfa sprout has more beta-carotene than cabbage, however, cabbage contains more alpha-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than alfalfa sprout.
- Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, cabbage contains more Vitamin B6.
- Cabbage is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Cabbage (Cabbage, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Alfalfa sprouts and cabbage contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and cabbage has 25 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to cabbage per calorie. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 53:29:18 and for cabbage, 17:80:3 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Cabbage | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 53% | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 29% | 80% |
| Fat | 18% | 3% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Alfalfa sprouts and cabbage contain similar amounts of carbs - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and cabbage has 5.8g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in cabbage comprise of 56% sugar and 44% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Cabbage is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 32% more dietary fiber than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cabbage has 2.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprouts and cabbage contain similar amounts of sugar - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and cabbage has 3.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Alfalfa sprout has 212% more protein than cabbage - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and cabbage has 1.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and cabbage are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cabbage has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 346% more Vitamin C than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cabbage has 36.6mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Alfalfa sprouts and cabbage contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cabbage has 5ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and cabbage contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cabbage has 0.15mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Cabbage has 149% more Vitamin K than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cabbage has 76ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, cabbage contains more Vitamin B6. Both alfalfa sprouts and cabbage contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin and folate.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Cabbage | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.061 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.04 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 0.234 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | 0.212 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.124 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 43 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Alfalfa sprouts and cabbage contain similar amounts of calcium - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and cabbage has 40mg of calcium.
iron
Alfalfa sprout has 104% more iron than cabbage - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and cabbage has 0.47mg of iron.
potassium
Cabbage has 115% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and cabbage has 170mg 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,
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Cabbage | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 1.7 mg | 0.28 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.08 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.1 mg |
| kaempferol | ~ | 0.18 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 sprout has more beta-carotene than cabbage per 100 grams, however, cabbage contains more alpha-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than alfalfa sprout per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Cabbage | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 87 UG | 42 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | 33 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 30 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more linoleic acid than cabbage per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Cabbage | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.234 G | 0.017 G |
| Total | 0.234 G | 0.017 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 Cabbage (Cabbage, raw) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Cabbage 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 % |
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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 % |
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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 alfalfa sprouts or cabbage contain more calories in 100 grams?Alfalfa sprouts and cabbage contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and cabbage has 25 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or cabbage better for protein?
Alfalfa sprout has 210% more protein than cabbage - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and cabbage has 1.3g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or cabbage have more carbohydrates?
By weight, alfalfa sprouts and cabbage contain similar amounts of carbs - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and cabbage has 5.8g of carbohydrates. the carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in cabbage comprise of 60% sugar and 40% dietary fiber.