Bean Sprouts vs. Spirulina

Nutrition comparison of Bean Sprouts and Spirulina

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

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

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

  • Bean sprout has 56.6 times less saturated fat than spirulina.
  • Bean sprout has 75% less carbohydrates than spirulina.
  • Bean sprout is a great source of Vitamin C.
  • Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
  • Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin E than bean sprout.
  • Spirulina is an excellent source of calcium, dietary fiber, iron, potassium and protein.
Detailed nutritional comparison of bean sprouts and spirulina 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: Bean Sprouts (Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw) and Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.

Image of Bean Sprouts src
Image of Spirulina src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Spirulina is high in calories and bean sprout has 90% less calories than spirulina - bean sprout has 30 calories per 100 grams and spirulina has 290 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, bean sprouts is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to spirulina per calorie. Bean sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 32:63:5 and for spirulina, 58:24:18 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Bean Sprouts Spirulina
Protein 32% 58%
Carbohydrates 63% 24%
Fat 5% 18%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Bean sprout has 75% less carbohydrates than spirulina - bean sprout has 5.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and spirulina has 23.9g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Spirulina is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 100% more dietary fiber than bean sprout - bean sprout has 1.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and spirulina has 3.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Bean sprouts and spirulina contain similar amounts of sugar - bean sprout has 4.1g of sugar per 100 grams and spirulina has 3.1g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spirulina is an excellent source of protein and it has 17 times more protein than bean sprout - bean sprout has 3g of protein per 100 grams and spirulina has 57.5g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Bean sprout has 56.6 times less saturated fat than spirulina - bean sprout has 0.05g of saturated fat per 100 grams and spirulina has 2.7g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Bean sprout is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 31% more Vitamin C than spirulina - bean sprout has 13.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and spirulina has 10.1mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Spirulina has 28 times more Vitamin A than bean sprout - bean sprout has 1ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and spirulina has 29ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin E than bean sprout - bean sprout has 0.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and spirulina has 5mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Bean sprouts and spirulina contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - bean sprout has 33ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and spirulina has 25.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Bean Sprouts Spirulina
Thiamin 0.084 MG 2.38 MG
Riboflavin 0.124 MG 3.67 MG
Niacin 0.749 MG 12.82 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.38 MG 3.48 MG
Vitamin B6 0.088 MG 0.364 MG
Folate 61 UG 94 UG

Minerals

calcium

Spirulina is an excellent source of calcium and it has 823% more calcium than bean sprout - bean sprout has 13mg of calcium per 100 grams and spirulina has 120mg of calcium.

iron

Spirulina is an excellent source of iron and it has 30 times more iron than bean sprout - bean sprout has 0.91mg of iron per 100 grams and spirulina has 28.5mg of iron.

potassium

Spirulina is an excellent source of potassium and it has 815% more potassium than bean sprout - bean sprout has 149mg of potassium per 100 grams and spirulina has 1363mg 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,

Bean Sprouts Spirulina
beta-carotene 6 UG 342 UG
alpha-carotene 6 UG ~

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Bean Sprouts Spirulina
alpha linoleic acid 0.016 G 0.823 G
Total 0.016 G 0.823 G

omega 6s

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

Bean Sprouts Spirulina
linoleic acid 0.042 G 1.254 G
Total 0.042 G 1.254 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 Spirulina .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Bean Sprouts (Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw) and Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) .

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FAQ

Does bean sprouts or spirulina contain more calories in 100 grams?
Spirulina is high in calories and bean sprout has 90% less calories than spirulina - bean sprout has 30 calories in 100g and spirulina has 290 calories.

Is bean sprouts or spirulina better for protein?
Spirulina is a fantastic source of protein and it has 17 times more protein than bean sprout - bean sprout has 3g of protein per 100 grams and spirulina has 57.5g of protein.

Does bean sprouts or spirulina have more carbohydrates?
By weight, bean sprout has 80% fewer carbohydrates than spirulina - bean sprout has 5.9g of carbs for 100g and spirulina has 23.9g of carbohydrates.

Does bean sprouts or spirulina contain more calcium?
Spirulina is a rich source of calcium and it has 820% more calcium than bean sprout - bean sprout has 13mg of calcium in 100 grams and spirulina has 120mg of calcium.

Does bean sprouts or spirulina contain more iron?
Spirulina is an abundant source of iron and it has 30 times more iron than bean sprout - bean sprout has 0.91mg of iron in 100 grams and spirulina has 28.5mg of iron.

Does bean sprouts or spirulina contain more potassium?
Spirulina is a rich source of potassium and it has 820% more potassium than bean sprout - bean sprout has 149mg of potassium in 100 grams and spirulina has 1363mg of potassium.