Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
spirulina
versus
soy protein powder
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in spirulina and soy protein powder:
Both spirulina and soy protein powder are high in calories. Soy protein powder has 34% more calories than spirulina - spirulina has 290 calories per 100 grams and soy protein powder has 388 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, spirulina is lighter in carbs, heavier in fat and similar to soy protein powder for protein. Spirulina has a macronutrient ratio of 59:25:17 and for soy protein powder, 57:30:13 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Spirulina | Soy Protein Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 59% | 57% |
| Carbohydrates | 25% | 30% |
| Fat | 17% | 13% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
Spirulina and soy protein powder contain similar amounts of carbs - spirulina has 23.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and soy protein powder has 28.9g of carbohydrates.
Both spirulina and soy protein powder are high in dietary fiber. Soy protein powder has 86% more dietary fiber than spirulina - spirulina has 3.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and soy protein powder has 6.7g of dietary fiber.
Soy protein powder is high in sugar and spirulina has 86% less sugar than soy protein powder - spirulina has 3.1g of sugar per 100 grams and soy protein powder has 22.2g of sugar.
Both spirulina and soy protein powder are high in protein. Spirulina is very similar to soy protein powder for protein - spirulina has 57.5g of protein per 100 grams and soy protein powder has 55.6g of protein.
Soy protein powder has 58% less saturated fat than spirulina - spirulina has 2.7g of saturated fat per 100 grams and soy protein powder has 1.1g of saturated fat.
Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin C than soy protein powder - spirulina has 10.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and soy protein powder does not contain significant amounts.
Spirulina has more Vitamin A than soy protein powder - spirulina has 29ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and soy protein powder does not contain significant amounts.
Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin E than soy protein powder - spirulina has 5mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and soy protein powder does not contain significant amounts.
Spirulina has more Vitamin K than soy protein powder - spirulina has 25.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and soy protein powder does not contain significant amounts.
Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, soy protein powder contains more folate.
| Spirulina | Soy Protein Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 2.38 MG | 0.288 MG |
| Riboflavin | 3.67 MG | 0.164 MG |
| Niacin | 12.82 MG | 2.357 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 3.48 MG | ~ |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.364 MG | 0.164 MG |
| Folate | 94 UG | 289 UG |
Both spirulina and soy protein powder are high in calcium. Soy protein powder has 48% more calcium than spirulina - spirulina has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and soy protein powder has 178mg of calcium.
Both spirulina and soy protein powder are high in iron. Spirulina has 138% more iron than soy protein powder - spirulina has 28.5mg of iron per 100 grams and soy protein powder has 12mg of iron.
Both spirulina and soy protein powder are high in potassium. Spirulina has 46% more potassium than soy protein powder - spirulina has 1363mg of potassium per 100 grams and soy protein powder has 933mg of potassium.
For omega-3 fatty acids, spirulina has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than soy protein powder per 100 grams.
| Spirulina | Soy Protein Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.823 G | 0.32 G |
| Total | 0.823 G | 0.32 G |
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both spirulina and soy protein powder contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Spirulina | Soy Protein Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 1.254 G | 2.381 G |
| Total | 1.254 G | 2.381 G |
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: Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) and Soy Protein Powder (Protein powder, soy based, NFS) .
Spirulina g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Soy Protein Powder 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 | |||