Asparagus vs. Beets
Nutrition comparison of Asparagus and Beets
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
asparagus
versus
beets
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in asparagus and beets:
- Both asparagus and beets are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
- Asparagus has 53% less calories than beet.
- Asparagus has 72% less sugar than beet.
- Asparagus has more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, however, beet contains more folate.
- Asparagus is a great source of iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Beets (Beets, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus has 53% less calories than beet - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and beet has 43 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, asparagus is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and similar to beets for fat. Asparagus has a macronutrient ratio of 34:61:5 and for beets, 14:83:3 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Asparagus | Beets | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 34% | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 61% | 83% |
| Fat | 5% | 3% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Asparagus and beets contain similar amounts of carbs - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and beet has 9.6g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in asparagus are made of 53% dietary fiber and 47% sugar, whereas the carbs in beets comprise of 71% sugar and 29% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Both asparagus and beets are high in dietary fiber. Beet has 33% more dietary fiber than asparagus - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and beet has 2.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus has 72% less sugar than beet - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and beet has 6.8g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and beets contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and beet has 1.6g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and beets are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and beet has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Asparagus and beets contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and beet has 4.9mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Asparagus has 18 times more Vitamin A than beet - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and beet has 2ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and beets contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and beet has 0.04mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Asparagus has 207 times more Vitamin K than beet - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and beet has 0.2ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Asparagus has more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, however, beet contains more folate. Both asparagus and beets contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Asparagus | Beets | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.143 MG | 0.031 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.141 MG | 0.04 MG |
| Niacin | 0.978 MG | 0.334 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.274 MG | 0.155 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.067 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 109 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Asparagus and beets contain similar amounts of calcium - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and beet has 16mg of calcium.
iron
Asparagus is a great source of iron and it has 168% more iron than beet - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and beet has 0.8mg of iron.
potassium
Both asparagus and beets are high in potassium. Beet has 61% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and beet has 325mg 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, asparagus has more isorhamnetin, kaempferol and quercetin than beet per 100 grams, however, beet contains more luteolin than asparagus per 100 grams.
| Asparagus | Beets | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 5.7 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 1.39 mg | ~ |
| Quercetin | 13.98 mg | 0.13 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.37 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,
| Asparagus | Beets | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | 20 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 9 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 710 UG | ~ |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both asparagus and beets contain small amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Asparagus | Beets | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.01 G | 0.005 G |
| Total | 0.01 G | 0.005 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both asparagus and beets contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Asparagus | Beets | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.055 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.055 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.
Asparagus g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Beets g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
| MG % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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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% |
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UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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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% |
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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 asparagus or beets contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus has 50% less calories than beet - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and beet has 43 calories.
Is asparagus or beets better for protein?
Asparagus and beets contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and beet has 1.6g of protein.
Does asparagus or beets have more carbohydrates?
By weight, asparagus and beets contain similar amounts of carbs - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and beet has 9.6g of carbohydrates. the carbs in asparagus are made of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar, whereas the carbs in beets comprise of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber.
Does asparagus or beets contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and beets are high in potassium. Beet has 60% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and beet has 325mg of potassium.