Asparagus vs. Bok Choy
Nutrition comparison of Asparagus and Bok Choy
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
asparagus
versus
bok choy
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in asparagus and bok choy:
- Both asparagus and bok choy are high in potassium.
- Asparagus has more thiamin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, bok choy contains more Vitamin B6.
- Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber and iron.
- Bok choy has more beta-carotene than asparagus, however, asparagus contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than bok choy.
- Bok choy is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Bok Choy (Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus and bok choy contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and bok choy has 13 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, asparagus is heavier in carbs, lighter in fat and similar to bok choy for protein. Asparagus has a macronutrient ratio of 35:62:4 and for bok choy, 36:53:11 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Asparagus | Bok Choy | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 35% | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 62% | 53% |
| Fat | 4% | 11% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both asparagus and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in asparagus are made of 53% dietary fiber and 47% sugar, whereas the carbs in bok choy comprise of 54% sugar and 46% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 110% more dietary fiber than bok choy - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and bok choy has 1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus and bok choy contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and bok choy are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Bok choy is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 704% more Vitamin C than asparagus - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and bok choy has 45mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Bok choy is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 487% more Vitamin A than asparagus - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and bok choy has 223ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and bok choy contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.09mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Asparagus and bok choy contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and bok choy has 45.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Asparagus has more thiamin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, bok choy contains more Vitamin B6. Both asparagus and bok choy contain significant amounts of niacin and folate.
| Asparagus | Bok Choy | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.143 MG | 0.04 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.141 MG | 0.07 MG |
| Niacin | 0.978 MG | 0.5 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.274 MG | 0.088 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.194 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 66 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Bok choy is an excellent source of calcium and it has 338% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.
iron
Asparagus is a great source of iron and it has 168% more iron than bok choy - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.8mg of iron.
potassium
Both asparagus and bok choy are high in potassium. Bok choy has 25% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg 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 and quercetin than bok choy per 100 grams, however, bok choy contains more kaempferol and apigenin than asparagus per 100 grams.
| Asparagus | Bok Choy | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 5.7 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 1.39 mg | 4.33 mg |
| Quercetin | 13.98 mg | 2.06 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.24 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.09 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.03 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, bok choy has more beta-carotene than asparagus per 100 grams, however, asparagus contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than bok choy per 100 grams. Both asparagus and bok choy contain small amounts of alpha-carotene.
| Asparagus | Bok Choy | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | 2681 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 9 UG | 1 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 710 UG | 40 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, bok choy has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than asparagus per 100 grams.
| Asparagus | Bok Choy | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.01 G | 0.055 G |
| Total | 0.01 G | 0.055 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both asparagus and bok choy contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Asparagus | Bok Choy | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.042 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.042 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 Asparagus or Bok Choy .
Asparagus g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Bok Choy g
()
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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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% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 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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MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does asparagus or bok choy contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus and bok choy contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and bok choy has 13 calories.
Is asparagus or bok choy better for protein?
Asparagus and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.
Does asparagus or bok choy have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both asparagus and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates. the carbs in asparagus are made of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar, whereas the carbs in bok choy comprise of 50% sugar and 50% dietary fiber.
Does asparagus or bok choy contain more calcium?
Bok choy is a rich source of calcium and it has 340% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium in 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.
Does asparagus or bok choy contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and bok choy are high in potassium. Bok choy has 30% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg of potassium.