Bean Sprouts vs. Leeks
Nutrition comparison of Bean Sprouts and Leeks
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
bean sprouts
versus
leeks
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in bean sprouts and leeks:
- Bean sprout has 51% less calories than leek.
- Bean sprout has 58% less carbohydrates than leek.
- Bean sprout has more riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, leek contains more Vitamin B6.
- Leek has signficantly more Vitamin A than bean sprout.
- Leek is a great source of calcium and iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Bean Sprouts (Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw) and Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Bean sprout has 51% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories per 100 grams and bean sprout has 30 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, bean sprouts is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and similar to leeks for fat. Bean sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 33:63:5 and for leeks, 9:86:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Bean Sprouts | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 33% | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 63% | 86% |
| Fat | 5% | 5% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Bean sprout has 58% less carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and bean sprout has 5.9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Leeks and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of dietary fiber - leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and bean sprout has 1.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Leeks and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of sugar - leek has 3.9g of sugar per 100 grams and bean sprout has 4.1g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Leeks and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of protein - leek has 1.5g of protein per 100 grams and bean sprout has 3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both leeks and bean sprouts are low in saturated fat - leek has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and bean sprout has 0.05g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Leeks and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - leek has 12mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and bean sprout has 13.2mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Leek has signficantly more Vitamin A than bean sprout - leek has 83ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and bean sprout has 1ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Leeks and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and bean sprout has 0.1mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Leeks and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - leek has 47ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and bean sprout has 33ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Bean sprout has more riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, leek contains more Vitamin B6. Both bean sprouts and leeks contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin and folate.
| Bean Sprouts | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.084 MG | 0.06 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.124 MG | 0.03 MG |
| Niacin | 0.749 MG | 0.4 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.38 MG | 0.14 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.088 MG | 0.233 MG |
| Folate | 61 UG | 64 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Leek is a great source of calcium and it has 354% more calcium than bean sprout - leek has 59mg of calcium per 100 grams and bean sprout has 13mg of calcium.
iron
Leek is a great source of iron and it has 131% more iron than bean sprout - leek has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and bean sprout has 0.91mg of iron.
potassium
Leeks and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of potassium - leek has 180mg of potassium per 100 grams and bean sprout has 149mg 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, both bean sprouts and leeks contain small amounts of quercetin.
| Bean Sprouts | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| kaempferol | 0.33 mg | 2.67 mg |
| Quercetin | 0.15 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,
| Bean Sprouts | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 6 UG | 1000 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 1900 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, leek has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than bean sprout per 100 grams.
| Bean Sprouts | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.016 G | 0.099 G |
| Total | 0.016 G | 0.099 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both bean sprouts and leeks contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Bean Sprouts | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.042 G | 0.067 G |
| Total | 0.042 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.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Bean Sprouts (Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw) and Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) .
Bean Sprouts 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 leeks or bean sprouts contain more calories in 100 grams?Bean sprout has 50% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories in 100g and bean sprout has 30 calories.
Is leeks or bean sprouts better for protein?
Leeks and bean sprouts contain similar amounts of protein - leek has 1.5g of protein per 100 grams and bean sprout has 3g of protein.
Does leeks or bean sprouts have more carbohydrates?
By weight, bean sprout has 60% fewer carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of carbs for 100g and bean sprout has 5.9g of carbohydrates.