Cilantro vs. Onion
Nutrition comparison of Cilantro and Onion
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cilantro
versus
onion
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cilantro and onion:
- Cilantro has more riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
- Cilantro has signficantly more iron than onion.
- Cilantro is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cilantro (Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw) and Onion (Onions, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of calories - cilantro has 23 calories per 100 grams and onion has 40 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cilantro is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to onion per calorie. Cilantro has a macronutrient ratio of 27:53:20 and for onion, 11:87:3 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cilantro | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 27% | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 53% | 87% |
| Fat | 20% | 3% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of carbs - cilantro has 3.7g of total carbs per 100 grams and onion has 9.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Cilantro is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 65% more dietary fiber than onion - cilantro has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and onion has 1.7g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of sugar - cilantro has 0.87g of sugar per 100 grams and onion has 4.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of protein - cilantro has 2.1g of protein per 100 grams and onion has 1.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both cilantro and onion are low in saturated fat - cilantro has 0.01g of saturated fat per 100 grams and onion has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 265% more Vitamin C than onion - cilantro has 27mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and onion has 7.4mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than onion - cilantro has 337ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and onion does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Cilantro has 124 times more Vitamin E than onion - cilantro has 2.5mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and onion has 0.02mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 774 times more Vitamin K than onion - cilantro has 310ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and onion has 0.4ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Cilantro has more riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both cilantro and onion contain significant amounts of thiamin and Vitamin B6.
| Cilantro | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.067 MG | 0.046 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.162 MG | 0.027 MG |
| Niacin | 1.114 MG | 0.116 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.57 MG | 0.123 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.149 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Folate | 62 UG | 19 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Cilantro is an excellent source of calcium and it has 191% more calcium than onion - cilantro has 67mg of calcium per 100 grams and onion has 23mg of calcium.
iron
Cilantro has signficantly more iron than onion - cilantro has 1.8mg of iron per 100 grams and onion has 0.21mg of iron.
potassium
Cilantro is an excellent source of potassium and it has 257% more potassium than onion - cilantro has 521mg of potassium per 100 grams and onion has 146mg 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, cilantro has more quercetin than onion per 100 grams, however, onion contains more isorhamnetin and kaempferol than cilantro per 100 grams.
| Cilantro | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 52.9 mg | 20.3 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.01 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.02 mg |
| isorhamnetin | ~ | 5.01 mg |
| kaempferol | ~ | 0.65 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 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,
| Cilantro | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3930 UG | 1 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 36 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 865 UG | 4 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cilantro and onion contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Cilantro | Onion | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.013 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.013 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.
Cilantro g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Onion 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 cilantro or onion contain more calories in 100 grams?Cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of calories - cilantro has 23 calories in 100g and onion has 40 calories.
Does cilantro or onion have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cilantro and onion contain similar amounts of carbs - cilantro has 3.7g of carbs for 100g and onion has 9.3g of carbohydrates.
Does cilantro or onion contain more calcium?
Cilantro is a rich source of calcium and it has 190% more calcium than onion - cilantro has 67mg of calcium in 100 grams and onion has 23mg of calcium.
Does cilantro or onion contain more potassium?
Cilantro is a rich source of potassium and it has 260% more potassium than onion - cilantro has 521mg of potassium in 100 grams and onion has 146mg of potassium.