Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Lima Beans
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Lima Beans
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
alfalfa sprouts
versus
lima beans
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and lima beans:
- Alfalfa sprout has 8.6 times less carbohydrates than lima bean.
- Lima bean has more thiamin, niacin and Vitamin B6, however, alfalfa sprout contains more pantothenic acid.
- Lima bean is an excellent source of Vitamin C, dietary fiber, iron and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Lima Beans (Lima beans, immature seeds, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Lima bean is high in calories and alfalfa sprout has 80% less calories than lima bean - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and lima bean has 113 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to lima beans per calorie. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 52:27:21 and for lima beans, 23:70:7 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Lima Beans | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 52% | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 27% | 70% |
| Fat | 21% | 7% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Alfalfa sprout has 8.6 times less carbohydrates than lima bean - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and lima bean has 20.2g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Lima bean is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 158% more dietary fiber than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and lima bean has 4.9g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprouts and lima beans contain similar amounts of sugar - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and lima bean has 1.5g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Lima bean has 71% more protein than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and lima bean has 6.8g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and lima beans are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and lima bean has 0.2g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Lima bean is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 185% more Vitamin C than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and lima bean has 23.4mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Alfalfa sprouts and lima beans contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and lima bean has 10ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and lima beans contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and lima bean has 0.32mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Alfalfa sprout has 445% more Vitamin K than lima bean - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and lima bean has 5.6ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Lima bean has more thiamin, niacin and Vitamin B6, however, alfalfa sprout contains more pantothenic acid. Both alfalfa sprouts and lima beans contain significant amounts of riboflavin and folate.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Lima Beans | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.217 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.103 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 1.474 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | 0.247 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.204 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 34 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Alfalfa sprouts and lima beans contain similar amounts of calcium - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and lima bean has 34mg of calcium.
iron
Lima bean is an excellent source of iron and it has 227% more iron than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and lima bean has 3.1mg of iron.
potassium
Lima bean is an excellent source of potassium and it has 491% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and lima bean has 467mg 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 alfalfa sprouts and lima beans contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Lima Beans | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 87 UG | 126 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | ~ |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both alfalfa sprouts and lima beans contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Lima Beans | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.175 G | 0.136 G |
| Total | 0.175 G | 0.136 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both alfalfa sprouts and lima beans contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Lima Beans | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.234 G | 0.283 G |
| Total | 0.234 G | 0.283 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 Alfalfa Sprouts or Lima Beans .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Lima Beans (Lima beans, immature seeds, raw) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
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Lima Beans g
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does alfalfa sprouts or lima beans contain more calories in 100 grams?Lima bean is high in calories and alfalfa sprout has 80% less calories than lima bean - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and lima bean has 113 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or lima beans better for protein?
Lima bean has 70% more protein than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and lima bean has 6.8g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or lima beans have more carbohydrates?
By weight, alfalfa sprout has 8.6 times fewer carbohydrates than lima bean - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and lima bean has 20.2g of carbohydrates.
Does alfalfa sprouts or lima beans contain more iron?
Lima bean is an abundant source of iron and it has 230% more iron than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron in 100 grams and lima bean has 3.1mg of iron.
Does alfalfa sprouts or lima beans contain more potassium?
Lima bean is a rich source of potassium and it has 490% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium in 100 grams and lima bean has 467mg of potassium.