Broccoli vs. Cauliflower
Nutrition comparison of Broccoli and Cauliflower
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
broccoli
versus
cauliflower
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in broccoli and cauliflower:
- Both cauliflower and broccoli are high in Vitamin C and potassium.
- Broccoli has more riboflavin.
- Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin K, calcium and dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Broccoli (Broccoli, raw) and Cauliflower (Cauliflower, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Cauliflower and broccoli contain similar amounts of calories - cauliflower has 25 calories per 100 grams and broccoli has 34 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, broccoli is similar to cauliflower for protein, carbs and fat. Broccoli has a macronutrient ratio of 28:65:7 and for cauliflower, 26:66:8 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Broccoli | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 28% | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 65% | 66% |
| Fat | 7% | 8% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Cauliflower and broccoli contain similar amounts of carbs - cauliflower has 5g of total carbs per 100 grams and broccoli has 6.6g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Broccoli is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 30% more dietary fiber than cauliflower - cauliflower has 2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and broccoli has 2.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Cauliflower and broccoli contain similar amounts of sugar - cauliflower has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and broccoli has 1.7g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Cauliflower and broccoli contain similar amounts of protein - cauliflower has 1.9g of protein per 100 grams and broccoli has 2.8g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both cauliflower and broccoli are low in saturated fat - cauliflower has 0.13g of saturated fat per 100 grams and broccoli has 0.11g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both cauliflower and broccoli are high in Vitamin C. Broccoli has 85% more Vitamin C than cauliflower - cauliflower has 48.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and broccoli has 89.2mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Broccoli has more Vitamin A than cauliflower - broccoli has 31ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cauliflower does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Cauliflower and broccoli contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - cauliflower has 0.08mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and broccoli has 0.78mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin K and it has 555% more Vitamin K than cauliflower - cauliflower has 15.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and broccoli has 101.6ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Broccoli has more riboflavin. Both broccoli and cauliflower contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Broccoli | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.071 MG | 0.05 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.117 MG | 0.06 MG |
| Niacin | 0.639 MG | 0.507 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.573 MG | 0.667 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.175 MG | 0.184 MG |
| Folate | 63 UG | 57 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Broccoli is a great source of calcium and it has 114% more calcium than cauliflower - cauliflower has 22mg of calcium per 100 grams and broccoli has 47mg of calcium.
iron
Cauliflower and broccoli contain similar amounts of iron - cauliflower has 0.42mg of iron per 100 grams and broccoli has 0.73mg of iron.
potassium
Both cauliflower and broccoli are high in potassium. Cauliflower is very similar to cauliflower for potassium - cauliflower has 299mg of potassium per 100 grams and broccoli has 316mg 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,
| Broccoli | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.8 mg | 0.09 mg |
| kaempferol | 7.84 mg | 0.36 mg |
| myricetin | 0.06 mg | ~ |
| Quercetin | 3.26 mg | 0.54 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.03 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,
| Broccoli | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 361 UG | ~ |
| alpha-carotene | 25 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1403 UG | 1 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both broccoli and cauliflower contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Broccoli | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.0215 G | 0.015 G |
| Total | 0.0215 G | 0.015 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both broccoli and cauliflower contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Broccoli | Cauliflower | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.006 G | 0.003 G |
| linoleic acid | 0.049 G | 0.016 G |
| Total | 0.055 G | 0.019 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: Broccoli (Broccoli, raw) and Cauliflower (Cauliflower, raw) .
Broccoli g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Cauliflower 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 cauliflower or broccoli contain more calories in 100 grams?Cauliflower and broccoli contain similar amounts of calories - cauliflower has 25 calories in 100g and broccoli has 34 calories.
Does cauliflower or broccoli have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cauliflower and broccoli contain similar amounts of carbs - cauliflower has 5g of carbs for 100g and broccoli has 6.6g of carbohydrates.
Does cauliflower or broccoli contain more potassium?
Both cauliflower and broccoli are high in potassium. Cauliflower is very similar to cauliflower for potassium - cauliflower has 299mg of potassium in 100 grams and broccoli has 316mg of potassium.