Asparagus vs. Brussels Sprouts
Nutrition comparison of Asparagus and Brussels Sprouts
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
asparagus
versus
brussels sprouts
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in asparagus and brussels sprouts:
- Both asparagus and brussels sprouts are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
- Asparagus has 53% less calories than brussels sprout.
- Asparagus is a great source of iron.
- Brussels sprout has more Vitamin B6.
- Brussels sprout is a great source of calcium.
- Brussels sprout is an excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Brussels Sprouts (Brussels sprouts, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus has 53% less calories than brussels sprout - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 43 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, asparagus is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to brussels sprouts for fat. Asparagus has a macronutrient ratio of 34:61:5 and for brussels sprouts, 26:68:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Asparagus | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 34% | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 61% | 68% |
| Fat | 5% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Asparagus and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of carbs - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both asparagus and brussels sprouts are high in dietary fiber. Brussels sprout has 81% more dietary fiber than asparagus - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 2.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and brussels sprouts are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 0.06g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Brussels sprout is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 14 times more Vitamin C than asparagus - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 85mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Asparagus and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 38ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 0.88mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Brussels sprout is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 325% more Vitamin K than asparagus - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 177ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Brussels sprout has more Vitamin B6. Both asparagus and brussels sprouts contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
| Asparagus | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.143 MG | 0.139 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.141 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Niacin | 0.978 MG | 0.745 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.274 MG | 0.309 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.219 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 61 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Brussels sprout is a great source of calcium and it has 75% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 42mg of calcium.
iron
Asparagus is a great source of iron and it has 53% more iron than brussels sprout - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 1.4mg of iron.
potassium
Both asparagus and brussels sprouts are high in potassium. Brussels sprout has 93% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 389mg 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, asparagus has more isorhamnetin and quercetin than brussels sprout per 100 grams, however, brussels sprout contains more luteolin than asparagus per 100 grams. Both asparagus and brussels sprouts contain significant amounts of kaempferol.
| Asparagus | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 5.7 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 1.39 mg | 0.86 mg |
| Quercetin | 13.98 mg | 1.92 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.33 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 asparagus and brussels sprouts contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Asparagus | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | 450 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 9 UG | 6 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 710 UG | 1590 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, brussels sprout has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than asparagus per 100 grams.
| Asparagus | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.01 G | 0.099 G |
| Total | 0.01 G | 0.099 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both asparagus and brussels sprouts contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Asparagus | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.045 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.001 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.046 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 Brussels Sprouts (Brussels sprouts, raw) .
Asparagus g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Brussels Sprouts 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 % | |
| 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% |
|
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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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
| MG % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does asparagus or brussels sprouts contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus has 50% less calories than brussels sprout - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and brussels sprout has 43 calories.
Is asparagus or brussels sprouts better for protein?
Asparagus and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.4g of protein.
Does asparagus or brussels sprouts have more carbohydrates?
By weight, asparagus and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of carbs - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and brussels sprout has 9g of carbohydrates.
Does asparagus or brussels sprouts contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and brussels sprouts are high in potassium. Brussels sprout has 90% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and brussels sprout has 389mg of potassium.