Asparagus vs. Leeks
Nutrition comparison of Asparagus and Leeks
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
asparagus
versus
leeks
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in asparagus and leeks:
- Both asparagus and leeks are high in iron.
- Asparagus has 67% less calories than leek.
- Asparagus has 73% less carbohydrates than leek.
- Asparagus has more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, however, leek contains more Vitamin B6.
- Leek is a great source of calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) and Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus has 67% less calories than leek - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and leek has 61 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, asparagus is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and similar to leeks for fat. Asparagus has a macronutrient ratio of 34:61:5 and for leeks, 9:86:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Asparagus | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 34% | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 61% | 86% |
| Fat | 5% | 5% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Asparagus has 73% less carbohydrates than leek - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and leek has 14.2g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Asparagus and leeks contain similar amounts of dietary fiber - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus and leeks contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and leek has 3.9g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and leeks contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and leek has 1.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and leeks are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and leek has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Leek has 114% more Vitamin C than asparagus - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and leek has 12mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Leek has 118% more Vitamin A than asparagus - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and leek has 83ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and leeks contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Asparagus and leeks contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and leek has 47ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Asparagus has more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, however, leek contains more Vitamin B6. Both asparagus and leeks contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid and folate.
| Asparagus | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.143 MG | 0.06 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.141 MG | 0.03 MG |
| Niacin | 0.978 MG | 0.4 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.274 MG | 0.14 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.091 MG | 0.233 MG |
| Folate | 52 UG | 64 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Leek is a great source of calcium and it has 146% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and leek has 59mg of calcium.
iron
Both asparagus and leeks are high in iron. Asparagus is very similar to leek for iron - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and leek has 2.1mg of iron.
potassium
Asparagus and leeks contain similar amounts of potassium - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and leek has 180mg 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 leek per 100 grams, however, leek contains more myricetin than asparagus per 100 grams. Both asparagus and leeks contain significant amounts of kaempferol.
| Asparagus | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| isorhamnetin | 5.7 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 1.39 mg | 2.67 mg |
| Quercetin | 13.98 mg | 0.09 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.22 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,
| Asparagus | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 449 UG | 1000 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 9 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 710 UG | 1900 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, leek has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than asparagus per 100 grams.
| Asparagus | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 leeks contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Asparagus | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.04 G | 0.067 G |
| Total | 0.04 G | 0.067 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.
Asparagus g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Leeks 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 asparagus or leeks contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus has 70% less calories than leek - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and leek has 61 calories.
Is asparagus or leeks better for protein?
Asparagus and leeks contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and leek has 1.5g of protein.
Does asparagus or leeks have more carbohydrates?
By weight, asparagus has 70% fewer carbohydrates than leek - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and leek has 14.2g of carbohydrates.
Does asparagus or leeks contain more iron?
Both asparagus and leeks are high in iron. Asparagus is very similar to leek for iron - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron in 100 grams and leek has 2.1mg of iron.