Cilantro vs. Leeks
Nutrition comparison of Cilantro and Leeks
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cilantro
versus
leeks
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cilantro and leeks:
- Both leeks and cilantro are high in calcium.
- Cilantro has 62% less calories than leek.
- Cilantro has 74% less carbohydrates than leek.
- Cilantro has more beta-carotene and alpha-carotene than leek, however, leek contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than cilantro.
- Cilantro has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
- Cilantro is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cilantro (Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw) and Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Cilantro has 62% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories per 100 grams and cilantro has 23 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cilantro is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to leeks per calorie. Cilantro has a macronutrient ratio of 27:53:20 and for leeks, 9:86:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cilantro | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 27% | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 53% | 86% |
| Fat | 20% | 5% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Cilantro has 74% less carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and cilantro has 3.7g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Cilantro is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 56% more dietary fiber than leek - leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cilantro has 2.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Leeks and cilantro contain similar amounts of sugar - leek has 3.9g of sugar per 100 grams and cilantro has 0.87g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Leeks and cilantro contain similar amounts of protein - leek has 1.5g of protein per 100 grams and cilantro has 2.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both leeks and cilantro are low in saturated fat - leek has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cilantro has 0.01g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 125% more Vitamin C than leek - leek has 12mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cilantro has 27mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 306% more Vitamin A than leek - leek has 83ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cilantro has 337ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Cilantro has 172% more Vitamin E than leek - leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cilantro has 2.5mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Cilantro is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 560% more Vitamin K than leek - leek has 47ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cilantro has 310ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Cilantro has more riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. Both cilantro and leeks contain significant amounts of thiamin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Cilantro | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.067 MG | 0.06 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.162 MG | 0.03 MG |
| Niacin | 1.114 MG | 0.4 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.57 MG | 0.14 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.149 MG | 0.233 MG |
| Folate | 62 UG | 64 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both leeks and cilantro are high in calcium. Leek is very similar to leek for calcium - leek has 59mg of calcium per 100 grams and cilantro has 67mg of calcium.
iron
Leeks and cilantro contain similar amounts of iron - leek has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and cilantro has 1.8mg of iron.
potassium
Cilantro is an excellent source of potassium and it has 189% more potassium than leek - leek has 180mg of potassium per 100 grams and cilantro has 521mg 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 leek per 100 grams, however, leek contains more kaempferol and myricetin than cilantro per 100 grams.
| Cilantro | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Quercetin | 52.9 mg | 0.09 mg |
| kaempferol | ~ | 2.67 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, cilantro has more beta-carotene and alpha-carotene than leek per 100 grams, however, leek contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than cilantro per 100 grams.
| Cilantro | Leeks | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3930 UG | 1000 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 36 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 865 UG | 1900 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cilantro and leeks contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Cilantro | 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.
Cilantro 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 cilantro contain more calories in 100 grams?Cilantro has 60% less calories than leek - leek has 61 calories in 100g and cilantro has 23 calories.
Does leeks or cilantro have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cilantro has 70% fewer carbohydrates than leek - leek has 14.2g of carbs for 100g and cilantro has 3.7g of carbohydrates.
Does leeks or cilantro contain more calcium?
Both leeks and cilantro are high in calcium. Leek is very similar to leek for calcium - leek has 59mg of calcium in 100 grams and cilantro has 67mg of calcium.
Does leeks or cilantro contain more potassium?
Cilantro is a rich source of potassium and it has 190% more potassium than leek - leek has 180mg of potassium in 100 grams and cilantro has 521mg of potassium.