Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Romaine Lettuce
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Romaine 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
romaine lettuce
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce:
- Alfalfa sprout has more pantothenic acid, however, romaine lettuce contains more folate.
- Romaine lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K and potassium.
- Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 17 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to romaine lettuce per calorie. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 52:27:21 and for romaine lettuce, 23:64:13 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 52% | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 27% | 64% |
| Fat | 21% | 13% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce are low in carbohydrates - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 3.3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in romaine lettuce comprise of 64% dietary fiber and 36% sugar.
dietary fiber
Alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of dietary fiber - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 2.1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of sugar - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 1.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Alfalfa sprout has 224% more protein than romaine lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 1.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Alfalfa sprout has 105% more Vitamin C than romaine lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 4mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 53 times more Vitamin A than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 436ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.13mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Romaine lettuce is a great source of Vitamin K and it has 236% more Vitamin K than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 102.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Alfalfa sprout has more pantothenic acid, however, romaine lettuce contains more folate. Both alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B6.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.072 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.067 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 0.313 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | 0.142 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.074 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 136 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of calcium - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 33mg of calcium.
iron
Alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of iron - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 0.97mg of iron.
potassium
Romaine lettuce is a great source of potassium and it has 213% more potassium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 247mg 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 romaine lettuce contain significant amounts of quercetin.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 1.7 mg | 2.2 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.05 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 | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 87 UG | 5226 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 2312 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.175 G | 0.113 G |
| Total | 0.175 G | 0.113 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more linoleic acid than romaine lettuce per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Romaine Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.234 G | 0.047 G |
| Total | 0.234 G | 0.047 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 Romaine Lettuce .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Romaine Lettuce (Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
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Daily Values (%) |
Romaine Lettuce g
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| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 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% | manganese | 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 romaine lettuce contain more calories in 100 grams?Alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and romaine lettuce has 17 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or romaine lettuce better for protein?
Alfalfa sprout has 220% more protein than romaine lettuce - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and romaine lettuce has 1.2g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or romaine lettuce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both alfalfa sprouts and romaine lettuce are low in carbohydrates - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and romaine lettuce has 3.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in romaine lettuce comprise of 60% dietary fiber and 40% sugar.