Alfalfa Sprouts vs. Pickles
Nutrition comparison of Alfalfa Sprouts and Pickles
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
alfalfa sprouts
versus
pickles
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in alfalfa sprouts and pickles:
- Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
- Pickle is a great source of calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Pickles (Pickles, cucumber, dill or kosher dill) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Alfalfa sprouts and pickles contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories per 100 grams and pickle has 12 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, alfalfa sprouts is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and similar to pickles for fat. Alfalfa sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 53:29:18 and for pickles, 14:66:20 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 53% | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 29% | 66% |
| Fat | 18% | 20% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both alfalfa sprouts and pickles are low in carbohydrates - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and pickle has 2.4g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in pickles comprise of 52% sugar and 48% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Alfalfa sprout has 90% more dietary fiber than pickle - alfalfa sprout has 1.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and pickle has 1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Alfalfa sprouts and pickles contain similar amounts of sugar - alfalfa sprout has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and pickle has 1.1g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Alfalfa sprout has 698% more protein than pickle - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and pickle has 0.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both alfalfa sprouts and pickles are low in saturated fat - alfalfa sprout has 0.07g of saturated fat per 100 grams and pickle has 0.08g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Alfalfa sprout has 257% more Vitamin C than pickle - alfalfa sprout has 8.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and pickle has 2.3mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Alfalfa sprouts and pickles contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - alfalfa sprout has 8ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and pickle has 6ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Alfalfa sprouts and pickles contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - alfalfa sprout has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and pickle has 0.03mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Alfalfa sprouts and pickles contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - alfalfa sprout has 30.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and pickle has 17.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Alfalfa sprout has more riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both alfalfa sprouts and pickles contain significant amounts of thiamin and Vitamin B6.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.076 MG | 0.045 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.126 MG | 0.057 MG |
| Niacin | 0.481 MG | 0.109 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.563 MG | 0.201 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.034 MG | 0.035 MG |
| Folate | 36 UG | 8 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Pickle is a great source of calcium and it has 78% more calcium than alfalfa sprout - alfalfa sprout has 32mg of calcium per 100 grams and pickle has 57mg of calcium.
iron
Alfalfa sprout has 269% more iron than pickle - alfalfa sprout has 0.96mg of iron per 100 grams and pickle has 0.26mg of iron.
potassium
Alfalfa sprouts and pickles contain similar amounts of potassium - alfalfa sprout has 79mg of potassium per 100 grams and pickle has 117mg 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, both alfalfa sprouts and pickles contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 87 UG | 53 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | 13 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 28 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than pickle per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.175 G | 0.07 G |
| Total | 0.175 G | 0.07 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, alfalfa sprout has more linoleic acid than pickle per 100 grams.
| Alfalfa Sprouts | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.234 G | 0.052 G |
| Total | 0.234 G | 0.052 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: Alfalfa Sprouts (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw) and Pickles (Pickles, cucumber, dill or kosher dill) .
Alfalfa Sprouts g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Pickles g
()
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
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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 % |
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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 % |
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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 % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
|
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% |
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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% |
|
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% |
|
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 alfalfa sprouts or pickles contain more calories in 100 grams?Alfalfa sprouts and pickles contain similar amounts of calories - alfalfa sprout has 23 calories in 100g and pickle has 12 calories.
Is alfalfa sprouts or pickles better for protein?
Alfalfa sprout has 700% more protein than pickle - alfalfa sprout has 4g of protein per 100 grams and pickle has 0.5g of protein.
Does alfalfa sprouts or pickles have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both alfalfa sprouts and pickles are low in carbohydrates - alfalfa sprout has 2.1g of carbs for 100g and pickle has 2.4g of carbohydrates. the carbs in alfalfa sprouts are made of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in pickles comprise of 50% sugar and 50% dietary fiber.