Bean Sprouts vs. Iceberg Lettuce
Nutrition comparison of Bean Sprouts and Iceberg Lettuce
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
bean sprouts
versus
iceberg lettuce
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in bean sprouts and iceberg lettuce:
- Bean sprout has more riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Bean sprout is a great source of Vitamin C.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Bean Sprouts (Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw) and Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of calories - iceberg lettuce has 14 calories per 100 grams and bean sprout has 30 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, bean sprouts is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to iceberg lettuce for fat. Bean sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 32:63:5 and for iceberg lettuce, 22:73:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Bean Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 32% | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 63% | 73% |
| Fat | 5% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of carbs - iceberg lettuce has 3g of total carbs per 100 grams and bean sprout has 5.9g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in iceberg lettuce are made of 62% sugar and 38% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in bean sprouts comprise of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Bean sprout has 50% more dietary fiber than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 1.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and bean sprout has 1.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of sugar - iceberg lettuce has 2g of sugar per 100 grams and bean sprout has 4.1g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Bean sprout has 238% more protein than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 0.9g of protein per 100 grams and bean sprout has 3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts are low in saturated fat - iceberg lettuce has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and bean sprout has 0.05g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Bean sprout is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 371% more Vitamin C than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 2.8mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and bean sprout has 13.2mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Iceberg lettuce has 24 times more Vitamin A than bean sprout - iceberg lettuce has 25ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and bean sprout has 1ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - iceberg lettuce has 0.18mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and bean sprout has 0.1mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - iceberg lettuce has 24.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and bean sprout has 33ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Bean sprout has more riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both bean sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain significant amounts of thiamin.
| Bean Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.084 MG | 0.041 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.124 MG | 0.025 MG |
| Niacin | 0.749 MG | 0.123 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.38 MG | 0.091 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.088 MG | 0.042 MG |
| Folate | 61 UG | 29 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of calcium - iceberg lettuce has 18mg of calcium per 100 grams and bean sprout has 13mg of calcium.
iron
Bean sprout has 122% more iron than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 0.41mg of iron per 100 grams and bean sprout has 0.91mg of iron.
potassium
Iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of potassium - iceberg lettuce has 141mg of potassium per 100 grams and bean sprout has 149mg 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, bean sprout has more kaempferol than iceberg lettuce per 100 grams, however, iceberg lettuce contains more quercetin than bean sprout per 100 grams.
| Bean Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| kaempferol | 0.33 mg | 0.15 mg |
| Quercetin | 0.15 mg | 1.42 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.13 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.03 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.06 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 bean sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain small amounts of alpha-carotene.
| Bean Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 6 UG | 299 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | 4 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 277 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, iceberg lettuce has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than bean sprout per 100 grams.
| Bean Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.016 G | 0.052 G |
| Total | 0.016 G | 0.052 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both bean sprouts and iceberg lettuce contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Bean Sprouts | Iceberg Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.042 G | 0.021 G |
| Total | 0.042 G | 0.021 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 Bean Sprouts or Iceberg Lettuce .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Bean Sprouts (Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw) and Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) .
Bean Sprouts g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Iceberg Lettuce 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 | 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% |
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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% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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| UG % |
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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 iceberg lettuce or bean sprouts contain more calories in 100 grams?Iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of calories - iceberg lettuce has 14 calories in 100g and bean sprout has 30 calories.
Is iceberg lettuce or bean sprouts better for protein?
Bean sprout has 240% more protein than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 0.9g of protein per 100 grams and bean sprout has 3g of protein.
Does iceberg lettuce or bean sprouts have more carbohydrates?
By weight, iceberg lettuce and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of carbs - iceberg lettuce has 3g of carbs for 100g and bean sprout has 5.9g of carbohydrates. the carbs in iceberg lettuce are made of 60% sugar and 40% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in bean sprouts comprise of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber.