Pasta vs. Brussels Sprouts
Nutrition comparison of Pasta and Brussels Sprouts
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
pasta
versus
brussels sprouts
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in pasta and brussels sprouts:
- Both pasta and brussels sprouts are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
- Brussels sprout is a great source of calcium.
- Brussels sprout is an excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
- Pasta has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate.
- Pasta is an excellent source of iron and protein.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Pasta (Pasta, dry, enriched) and Brussels Sprouts (Brussels sprouts, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Pasta is high in calories and brussels sprout has 88% less calories than pasta - pasta has 371 calories per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 43 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, pasta is lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and similar to brussels sprouts for fat. Pasta has a macronutrient ratio of 14:82:4 and for brussels sprouts, 26:68:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Pasta | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 14% | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 82% | 68% |
| Fat | 4% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Pasta is high in carbohydrates and brussels sprout has 88% less carbohydrates than pasta - pasta has 74.7g of total carbs per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both pasta and brussels sprouts are high in dietary fiber. Brussels sprout has 19% more dietary fiber than pasta - pasta has 3.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Pasta and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of sugar - pasta has 2.7g of sugar per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 2.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Pasta is an excellent source of protein and it has 286% more protein than brussels sprout - pasta has 13g of protein per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both pasta and brussels sprouts are low in saturated fat - pasta has 0.28g 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 more Vitamin C than pasta - brussels sprout has 85mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and pasta does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Brussels sprout has more Vitamin A than pasta - brussels sprout has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and pasta does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Pasta and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - pasta has 0.11mg 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 1769 times more Vitamin K than pasta - pasta has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 177ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Pasta has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate. Both pasta and brussels sprouts contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Pasta | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.891 MG | 0.139 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.4 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Niacin | 7.177 MG | 0.745 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.431 MG | 0.309 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.142 MG | 0.219 MG |
| Folate | 237 UG | 61 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Brussels sprout is a great source of calcium and it has 100% more calcium than pasta - pasta has 21mg of calcium per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 42mg of calcium.
iron
Pasta is an excellent source of iron and it has 136% more iron than brussels sprout - pasta has 3.3mg of iron per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 1.4mg of iron.
potassium
Both pasta and brussels sprouts are high in potassium. Brussels sprout has 74% more potassium than pasta - pasta has 223mg of potassium per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 389mg 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,
| Pasta | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 18 UG | 1590 UG |
| beta-carotene | ~ | 450 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 6 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, brussels sprout has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than pasta per 100 grams.
| Pasta | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.024 G | 0.099 G |
| Total | 0.024 G | 0.099 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, pasta has more linoleic acid than brussels sprout per 100 grams.
| Pasta | Brussels Sprouts | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.54 G | 0.045 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.001 G |
| Total | 0.54 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: Pasta (Pasta, dry, enriched) and Brussels Sprouts (Brussels sprouts, raw) .
Pasta g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Brussels Sprouts 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 brussels sprouts contain more calories in 100 grams?Pasta is high in calories and brussels sprout has 90% less calories than pasta - pasta has 371 calories in 100g and brussels sprout has 43 calories.
Does pasta or brussels sprouts have more carbohydrates?
By weight, pasta is high in carbohydrates and brussels sprout has 90% fewer carbohydrates than pasta - pasta has 74.7g of carbs for 100g and brussels sprout has 9g of carbohydrates.
Does pasta or brussels sprouts contain more iron?
Pasta is an abundant source of iron and it has 140% more iron than brussels sprout - pasta has 3.3mg of iron in 100 grams and brussels sprout has 1.4mg of iron.
Does pasta or brussels sprouts contain more potassium?
Both pasta and brussels sprouts are high in potassium. Brussels sprout has 70% more potassium than pasta - pasta has 223mg of potassium in 100 grams and brussels sprout has 389mg of potassium.