Asparagus vs. Green Bean
Nutrition comparison of Asparagus and Green Bean
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
asparagus
versus
green bean
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in asparagus and green bean:
- Both asparagus and green bean are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
- Asparagus is a great source of iron.
- Green bean is a great source of Vitamin C.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Green Bean (Beans, snap, green, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and green bean has 31 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, asparagus is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to green bean for fat. Asparagus has a macronutrient ratio of 34:61:5 and for green bean, 20:76:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Asparagus | Green Bean | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 34% | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 61% | 76% |
| Fat | 5% | 5% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of carbs - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and green bean has 7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in asparagus are made of 53% dietary fiber and 47% sugar, whereas the carbs in green bean comprise of 48% sugar, 39% dietary fiber and 13% starch.
dietary fiber
Both asparagus and green bean are high in dietary fiber. Green bean has 29% more dietary fiber than asparagus - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and green bean has 2.7g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and green bean has 3.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and green bean has 1.8g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and green bean are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and green bean has 0.05g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Green bean is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 118% more Vitamin C than asparagus - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and green bean has 12.2mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and green bean has 35ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and green bean has 0.41mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and green bean has 43ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Both asparagus and green bean contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Asparagus | Green Bean | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.143 MG | 0.082 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.141 MG | 0.104 MG |
| Niacin | 0.978 MG | 0.734 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.274 MG | 0.225 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.141 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 33 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Green bean has 54% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and green bean has 37mg of calcium.
iron
Asparagus is a great source of iron and it has 108% more iron than green bean - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and green bean has 1mg of iron.
potassium
Both asparagus and green bean are high in potassium. Asparagus is very similar to asparagus for potassium - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and green bean has 211mg 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 | Green Bean | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 5.7 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 1.39 mg | 0.45 mg |
| Quercetin | 13.98 mg | 2.73 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.13 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.13 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 green bean contain significant amounts of beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Asparagus | Green Bean | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | 379 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 9 UG | 69 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 710 UG | 640 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, green bean has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than asparagus per 100 grams.
| Asparagus | Green Bean | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.01 G | 0.069 G |
| Total | 0.01 G | 0.069 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both asparagus and green bean contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Asparagus | Green Bean | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.044 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.044 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 Green Bean (Beans, snap, green, raw) .
Asparagus g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Green Bean g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
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% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
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% |
|
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 green bean contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and green bean has 31 calories.
Is asparagus or green bean better for protein?
Asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and green bean has 1.8g of protein.
Does asparagus or green bean have more carbohydrates?
By weight, asparagus and green bean contain similar amounts of carbs - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and green bean has 7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in asparagus are made of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar, whereas the carbs in green bean comprise of 50% sugar, 40% dietary fiber and 10% starch.
Does asparagus or green bean contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and green bean are high in potassium. Asparagus is very similar to asparagus for potassium - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and green bean has 211mg of potassium.