Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Red Bell Pepper

Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Red Bell Pepper

Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of alfalfa sprouts versus red bell pepper (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper:

  • Alfalfa sprout has 20 times less sugar than red bell pepper.
  • Red bell pepper has more niacin and Vitamin B6.
  • Red bell pepper is a great source of potassium.
  • Red bell pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Detailed nutritional comparison of alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Red Bell Pepper (Peppers, sweet, red, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.

Image of Alfalfa Sprouts src
Image of Red Bell Pepper src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 26 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to red bell pepper per calorie. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 53:29:18 and for red bell pepper, 13:79:8 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Alfalfa Sprouts Red Bell Pepper
Protein 53% 13%
Carbohydrates 29% 79%
Fat 18% 8%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of carbs - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 6g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in red bell pepper comprise of 67% sugar and 33% dietary fiber.

dietary fiber

Alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of dietary fiber - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 2.1g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Alfalfa sprout has 20 times less sugar than red bell pepper - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 4.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Alfalfa sprout has 303% more protein than red bell pepper - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 0.99g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 0.06g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Red bell pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 14 times more Vitamin C than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 127.7mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Red bell pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 18 times more Vitamin A than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 157ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Red bell pepper has 78 times more Vitamin E than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 1.6mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Alfalfa sprout has 522% more Vitamin K than red bell pepper - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 4.9ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Red bell pepper has more niacin and Vitamin B6. Both alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and folate.

Alfalfa Sprouts Red Bell Pepper
Thiamin 0.076 MG 0.054 MG
Riboflavin 0.126 MG 0.085 MG
Niacin 0.481 MG 0.979 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.563 MG 0.317 MG
Vitamin B6 0.034 MG 0.291 MG
Folate 36 UG 46 UG

Minerals

calcium

Alfalfa sprout has 357% more calcium than red bell pepper - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 7mg of calcium.

iron

Alfalfa sprout has 123% more iron than red bell pepper - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 0.43mg of iron.

potassium

Red bell pepper is a great source of potassium and it has 167% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 211mg 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 red bell pepper per 100 grams, however, red bell pepper contains more luteolin than alfalfa sprout per 100 grams.

Alfalfa Sprouts Red Bell Pepper
Quercetin 1.7 mg 0.23 mg
luteolin ~ 0.61 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, both alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper contain small amounts of alpha-carotene.

Alfalfa Sprouts Red Bell Pepper
beta-carotene 87 UG 1624 UG
alpha-carotene 6 UG 20 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin ~ 51 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than red bell pepper per 100 grams.

Alfalfa Sprouts Red Bell Pepper
alpha linoleic acid 0.175 G 0.056 G
Total 0.175 G 0.056 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more linoleic acid than red bell pepper per 100 grams.

Alfalfa Sprouts Red Bell Pepper
linoleic acid 0.234 G 0.1 G
Total 0.234 G 0.1 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 Red Bell Pepper (Peppers, sweet, red, raw) .

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FAQ

Does alfalfa sprouts or red bell pepper contain more calories in 100 grams?
Alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and red bell pepper has 26 calories.

Is alfalfa sprouts or red bell pepper better for protein?
Alfalfa sprout has 300% more protein than red bell pepper - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and red bell pepper has 0.99g of protein.

Does alfalfa sprouts or red bell pepper have more carbohydrates?
By weight, alfalfa sprouts and red bell pepper contain similar amounts of carbs - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and red bell pepper has 6g of carbohydrates. the carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in red bell pepper comprise of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber.