Lentils vs. Leeks

Nutrition comparison of Cooked Lentils and Leeks


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of cooked lentils versus leeks (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in lentils and leeks:

  • Both leeks and lentils are high in iron.
  • Leek has signficantly more Vitamin A than lentil.
  • Leek has signficantly more Vitamin C than lentil.
  • Leek is a great source of calcium.
  • Lentil has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
  • Lentil is a great source of protein.
  • Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of lentils and leeks is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Lentils src
Image of Leeks src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Lentil is high in calories and leek has 47% less calories than lentil - leek has 61 calories per 100 grams and lentil has 116 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, lentils is much heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to leeks for fat. Lentils has a macronutrient ratio of 30:67:3 and for leeks, 9:86:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Lentils Leeks
Protein 30% 9%
Carbohydrates 67% 86%
Fat 3% 5%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Leeks and lentils contain similar amounts of carbs - leek has 14.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 339% more dietary fiber than leek - leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and lentil has 7.9g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Leeks and lentils contain similar amounts of sugar - leek has 3.9g of sugar per 100 grams and lentil has 1.8g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Lentil is a great source of protein and it has 501% more protein than leek - leek has 1.5g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both leeks and lentils are low in saturated fat - leek has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and lentil has 0.05g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Leek has signficantly more Vitamin C than lentil - leek has 12mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and lentil has 1.5mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Leek has signficantly more Vitamin A than lentil - leek has 83ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Leeks and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and lentil has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Leek has 26 times more Vitamin K than lentil - leek has 47ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and lentil has 1.7ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Lentil has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both lentils and leeks contain significant amounts of Vitamin B6.

Lentils Leeks
Thiamin 0.169 MG 0.06 MG
Riboflavin 0.073 MG 0.03 MG
Niacin 1.06 MG 0.4 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.638 MG 0.14 MG
Vitamin B6 0.178 MG 0.233 MG
Folate 181 UG 64 UG

Minerals

calcium

Leek is a great source of calcium and it has 211% more calcium than lentil - leek has 59mg of calcium per 100 grams and lentil has 19mg of calcium.

iron

Both leeks and lentils are high in iron. Lentil has 59% more iron than leek - leek has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

potassium

Lentil is an excellent source of potassium and it has 105% more potassium than leek - leek has 180mg of potassium per 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

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,

Lentils Leeks
beta-carotene 5 UG 1000 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 lentil per 100 grams.

Lentils Leeks
alpha linoleic acid 0.037 G 0.099 G
Total 0.037 G 0.099 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, lentil has more linoleic acid than leek per 100 grams.

Lentils Leeks
linoleic acid 0.137 G 0.067 G
Total 0.137 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: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) .

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G Water G
G Starch G
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FAQ

Does leeks or lentils contain more calories in 100 grams?
Lentil is high in calories and leek has 50% less calories than lentil - leek has 61 calories in 100g and lentil has 116 calories.

Does leeks or lentils have more carbohydrates?
By weight, leeks and lentils contain similar amounts of carbs - leek has 14.2g of carbs for 100g and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

Does leeks or lentils contain more iron?
Both leeks and lentils are high in iron. Lentil has 60% more iron than leek - leek has 2.1mg of iron in 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

Does leeks or lentils contain more potassium?
Lentil is a rich source of potassium and it has 110% more potassium than leek - leek has 180mg of potassium in 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.

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