Lentils vs. Bean Sprouts

Nutrition comparison of Cooked Lentils and Bean Sprouts

Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of cooked lentils versus bean sprouts (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in lentils and bean sprouts:

  • Bean sprout has 70% less carbohydrates than lentil.
  • Bean sprout is a great source of Vitamin C.
  • Lentil has more folate.
  • Lentil is a great source of protein.
  • Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber, iron and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of lentils and bean sprouts is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Bean Sprouts (Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.

Image of Lentils src
Image of Bean Sprouts src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Lentil is high in calories and bean sprout has 74% less calories than lentil - bean sprout has 30 calories per 100 grams and lentil has 116 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, lentils is heavier in carbs and similar to bean sprouts for protein and fat. Lentils has a macronutrient ratio of 30:67:3 and for bean sprouts, 32:63:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Lentils Bean Sprouts
Protein 30% 32%
Carbohydrates 67% 63%
Fat 3% 5%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Bean sprout has 70% less carbohydrates than lentil - bean sprout has 5.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 339% more dietary fiber than bean sprout - bean sprout has 1.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and lentil has 7.9g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Bean sprouts and lentils contain similar amounts of sugar - bean sprout has 4.1g of sugar per 100 grams and lentil has 1.8g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Lentil is a great source of protein and it has 197% more protein than bean sprout - bean sprout has 3g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both bean sprouts and lentils are low in saturated fat - bean sprout has 0.05g of saturated fat per 100 grams and lentil has 0.05g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Bean sprout is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 780% more Vitamin C than lentil - bean sprout has 13.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and lentil has 1.5mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Bean sprouts and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - bean sprout has 1ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Bean sprouts and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - bean sprout has 0.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and lentil has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Bean sprout has 18 times more Vitamin K than lentil - bean sprout has 33ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and lentil has 1.7ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Lentil has more folate. Both lentils and bean sprouts contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.

Lentils Bean Sprouts
Thiamin 0.169 MG 0.084 MG
Riboflavin 0.073 MG 0.124 MG
Niacin 1.06 MG 0.749 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.638 MG 0.38 MG
Vitamin B6 0.178 MG 0.088 MG
Folate 181 UG 61 UG

Minerals

calcium

Bean sprouts and lentils contain similar amounts of calcium - bean sprout has 13mg of calcium per 100 grams and lentil has 19mg of calcium.

iron

Lentil is an excellent source of iron and it has 266% more iron than bean sprout - bean sprout has 0.91mg of iron per 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

potassium

Lentil is an excellent source of potassium and it has 148% more potassium than bean sprout - bean sprout has 149mg of potassium per 100 grams and lentil has 369mg 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, both lentils and bean sprouts contain small amounts of beta-carotene.

Lentils Bean Sprouts
beta-carotene 5 UG 6 UG
alpha-carotene ~ 6 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, lentil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than bean sprout per 100 grams.

Lentils Bean Sprouts
alpha linoleic acid 0.037 G 0.016 G
Total 0.037 G 0.016 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, lentil has more linoleic acid than bean sprout per 100 grams.

Lentils Bean Sprouts
linoleic acid 0.137 G 0.042 G
Total 0.137 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 Lentils or Bean Sprouts .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Bean Sprouts (Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw) .

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FAQ

Does bean sprouts or lentils contain more calories in 100 grams?
Lentil is high in calories and bean sprout has 70% less calories than lentil - bean sprout has 30 calories in 100g and lentil has 116 calories.

Is bean sprouts or lentils better for protein?
Lentil is a great source of protein and it has 200% more protein than bean sprout - bean sprout has 3g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.

Does bean sprouts or lentils have more carbohydrates?
By weight, bean sprout has 70% fewer carbohydrates than lentil - bean sprout has 5.9g of carbs for 100g and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

Does bean sprouts or lentils contain more iron?
Lentil is an abundant source of iron and it has 270% more iron than bean sprout - bean sprout has 0.91mg of iron in 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

Does bean sprouts or lentils contain more potassium?
Lentil is a rich source of potassium and it has 150% more potassium than bean sprout - bean sprout has 149mg of potassium in 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.