Pasta vs. Big Mac
Nutrition comparison of Pasta and Big Mac
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
pasta
versus
big mac
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in pasta and big mac:
- Both pasta and big mac are high in calories and protein.
- Big mac is an excellent source of calcium.
- Pasta has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, big mac contains more Vitamin B12.
- Pasta has signficantly less saturated fat than big mac.
- Pasta is a great source of potassium.
- Pasta is an excellent source of dietary fiber and iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Pasta (Pasta, dry, enriched) and Big Mac (McDONALD'S, BIG MAC) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both pasta and big mac are high in calories. Pasta has 44% more calories than big mac - pasta has 371 calories per 100 grams and big mac has 257 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, pasta is lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to big mac per calorie. Pasta has a macronutrient ratio of 14:82:4 and for big mac, 18:31:51 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Pasta | Big Mac | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 14% | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 82% | 31% |
| Fat | 4% | 51% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Pasta is high in carbohydrates and big mac has 73% less carbohydrates than pasta - pasta has 74.7g of total carbs per 100 grams and big mac has 20.1g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Pasta is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 100% more dietary fiber than big mac - pasta has 3.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and big mac has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Pasta and big mac contain similar amounts of sugar - pasta has 2.7g of sugar per 100 grams and big mac has 4g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Both pasta and big mac are high in protein. Pasta has a little more protein (10%) than big mac by weight - pasta has 13g of protein per 100 grams and big mac has 11.8g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Pasta has signficantly less saturated fat than big mac - pasta has 0.28g of saturated fat per 100 grams and big mac has 3.8g of saturated fat.
cholesterol
Pasta has less cholesterol than big mac - big mac has 36mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and pasta does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Big mac and pasta contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - big mac has 0.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and pasta does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Big mac has more Vitamin A than pasta - big mac has 56.5ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and pasta does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Pasta and big mac contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - pasta has 0.11mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin K
Pasta and big mac contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - pasta has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Pasta has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, big mac contains more Vitamin B12. Both pasta and big mac contain significant amounts of riboflavin.
| Pasta | Big Mac | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.891 MG | 0.176 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.4 MG | 0.209 MG |
| Niacin | 7.177 MG | 3.384 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.431 MG | ~ |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.142 MG | ~ |
| Folate | 237 UG | 46 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | ~ | 0.88 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Big mac is an excellent source of calcium and it has 452% more calcium than pasta - pasta has 21mg of calcium per 100 grams and big mac has 116mg of calcium.
iron
Pasta is an excellent source of iron and it has 65% more iron than big mac - pasta has 3.3mg of iron per 100 grams and big mac has 2mg of iron.
potassium
Pasta is a great source of potassium and it has 23% more potassium than big mac - pasta has 223mg of potassium per 100 grams and big mac has 181mg of potassium.
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.
Pasta g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Big Mac g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % |
|
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 pasta or big mac contain more calories in 100 grams?Both pasta and big mac are high in calories. Pasta has 40% more calories than big mac - pasta has 371 calories in 100g and big mac has 257 calories.
Does pasta or big mac have more carbohydrates?
By weight, pasta is high in carbohydrates and big mac has 70% fewer carbohydrates than pasta - pasta has 74.7g of carbs for 100g and big mac has 20.1g of carbohydrates.
Does pasta or big mac contain more calcium?
Big mac is a rich source of calcium and it has 450% more calcium than pasta - pasta has 21mg of calcium in 100 grams and big mac has 116mg of calcium.
Does pasta or big mac contain more iron?
Pasta is an abundant source of iron and it has 70% more iron than big mac - pasta has 3.3mg of iron in 100 grams and big mac has 2mg of iron.