Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Parsley
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Parsley
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
alfalfa sprouts
versus
parsley
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and parsley:
- Parsley has more niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Parsley is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, dietary fiber, iron and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Parsley (Parsley, fresh) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Alfalfa sprouts and parsley contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and parsley has 36 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to parsley for fat. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 50:50:0 and for parsley, 33:67:0 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 50% | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 50% | 67% |
| Fat | ~ | ~ |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Alfalfa sprouts and parsley contain similar amounts of carbs - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and parsley has 6.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Parsley is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 74% more dietary fiber than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and parsley has 3.3g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprouts and parsley contain similar amounts of sugar - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and parsley has 0.85g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Alfalfa sprouts and parsley contain similar amounts of protein - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and parsley has 3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and parsley are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and parsley has 0.13g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Parsley is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 15 times more Vitamin C than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and parsley has 133mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Parsley is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 51 times more Vitamin A than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and parsley has 421ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and parsley contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and parsley has 0.75mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Parsley is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 52 times more Vitamin K than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and parsley has 1640ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Parsley has more niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both alfalfa sprouts and parsley contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.086 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.098 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 1.313 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | 0.4 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 152 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Parsley is an excellent source of calcium and it has 331% more calcium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and parsley has 138mg of calcium.
iron
Parsley is an excellent source of iron and it has 546% more iron than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and parsley has 6.2mg of iron.
potassium
Parsley is an excellent source of potassium and it has 601% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and parsley has 554mg 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 sprout has more quercetin than parsley per 100 grams, however, parsley contains more apigenin, luteolin, kaempferol and myricetin than alfalfa sprout per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 1.7 mg | 0.28 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 215.46 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 1.09 mg |
| kaempferol | ~ | 1.49 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 14.84 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 | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 87 UG | 5054 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 5561 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than parsley per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.175 G | 0.008 G |
| Total | 0.175 G | 0.008 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more linoleic acid than parsley per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.234 G | 0.115 G |
| Total | 0.234 G | 0.115 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 Parsley (Parsley, fresh) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Parsley g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
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% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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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 parsley contain more calories in 100 grams?Alfalfa sprouts and parsley contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and parsley has 36 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or parsley better for protein?
Alfalfa sprouts and parsley contain similar amounts of protein - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and parsley has 3g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or parsley have more carbohydrates?
By weight, alfalfa sprouts and parsley contain similar amounts of carbs - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and parsley has 6.3g of carbohydrates.
Does alfalfa sprouts or parsley contain more calcium?
Parsley is a rich source of calcium and it has 330% more calcium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium in 100 grams and parsley has 138mg of calcium.
Does alfalfa sprouts or parsley contain more iron?
Parsley is an abundant source of iron and it has 550% more iron than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron in 100 grams and parsley has 6.2mg of iron.
Does alfalfa sprouts or parsley contain more potassium?
Parsley is a rich source of potassium and it has 600% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium in 100 grams and parsley has 554mg of potassium.