Asparagus vs. Russet Potato
Nutrition comparison of Asparagus and Russet Potato
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
asparagus
versus
russet potato
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in asparagus and russet potato:
- Both asparagus and russet potato are high in potassium.
- Asparagus has 3.6 times less carbohydrates than russet potato.
- Asparagus has 75% less calories than russet potato.
- Asparagus has more riboflavin and folate, however, russet potato contains more Vitamin B6.
- Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber and iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus has 75% less calories than russet potato - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and russet potato has 79 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, asparagus is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to russet potato per calorie. Asparagus has a macronutrient ratio of 34:61:5 and for russet potato, 11:89:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Asparagus | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 34% | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 61% | 89% |
| Fat | 5% | 1% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Asparagus has 3.6 times less carbohydrates than russet potato - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and russet potato has 18.1g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in asparagus are made of 53% dietary fiber and 47% sugar, whereas the carbs in russet potato comprise of 89% starch, 7% dietary fiber and 3% sugar.
dietary fiber
Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 62% more dietary fiber than russet potato - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and russet potato has 1.3g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus and russet potato contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.62g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and russet potato contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and russet potato has 2.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and russet potato are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Asparagus and russet potato contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and russet potato has 5.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Asparagus has more Vitamin A than russet potato - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and russet potato does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and russet potato contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.01mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Asparagus has 22 times more Vitamin K than russet potato - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and russet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Asparagus has more riboflavin and folate, however, russet potato contains more Vitamin B6. Both asparagus and russet potato contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
| Asparagus | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.143 MG | 0.082 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.141 MG | 0.033 MG |
| Niacin | 0.978 MG | 1.035 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.274 MG | 0.301 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.345 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 14 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Asparagus has 85% more calcium than russet potato - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and russet potato has 13mg of calcium.
iron
Asparagus is a great source of iron and it has 149% more iron than russet potato - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.86mg of iron.
potassium
Both asparagus and russet potato are high in potassium. Russet potato has 106% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and russet potato has 417mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
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 | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | ~ |
| alpha-carotene | 9 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 710 UG | 5 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both asparagus and russet potato contain small amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Asparagus | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.01 G | 0.01 G |
| Total | 0.01 G | 0.01 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both asparagus and russet potato contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Asparagus | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.032 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.032 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: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) .
Asparagus g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Russet Potato g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
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 % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
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 russet potato contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus has 80% less calories than russet potato - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and russet potato has 79 calories.
Is asparagus or russet potato better for protein?
Asparagus and russet potato contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and russet potato has 2.1g of protein.
Does asparagus or russet potato have more carbohydrates?
By weight, asparagus has 3.6 times fewer carbohydrates than russet potato - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and russet potato has 18.1g of carbohydrates. the carbs in asparagus are made of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar, whereas the carbs in russet potato comprise of 90% starch, 10% dietary fiber and 0% sugar.
Does asparagus or russet potato contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and russet potato are high in potassium. Russet potato has 110% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and russet potato has 417mg of potassium.