Egg vs. Spirulina
Nutrition comparison of Egg and Spirulina
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
egg
versus
spirulina
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in egg and spirulina:
- Both spirulina and egg are high in calcium, calories and protein.
- Egg has more lutein + zeaxanthin than spirulina, however, spirulina contains more beta-carotene than egg.
- Egg has signficantly less carbohydrates than spirulina.
- Egg is a great source of Vitamin D.
- Egg is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
- Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, egg contains more Vitamin B12.
- Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin C than egg.
- Spirulina is an excellent source of dietary fiber, iron and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Egg (Egg, whole, raw, fresh) and Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both spirulina and egg are high in calories. Spirulina has 103% more calories than egg - spirulina has 290 calories per 100 grams and egg has 143 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, egg is much lighter in protein, much lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to spirulina per calorie. Egg has a macronutrient ratio of 36:2:62 and for spirulina, 58:24:18 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Egg | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 36% | 58% |
| Carbohydrates | 2% | 24% |
| Fat | 62% | 18% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Egg has signficantly less carbohydrates than spirulina - spirulina has 23.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and egg has 0.72g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Spirulina is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than egg - spirulina has 3.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and egg does not contain significant amounts.
sugar
Spirulina and egg contain similar amounts of sugar - spirulina has 3.1g of sugar per 100 grams and egg has 0.37g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Both spirulina and egg are high in protein. Spirulina has 358% more protein than egg - spirulina has 57.5g of protein per 100 grams and egg has 12.6g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Spirulina and egg contain similar amounts of saturated fat - spirulina has 2.7g of saturated fat per 100 grams and egg has 3.1g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both egg and spirulina are low in trans fat - egg has 0.04g of trans fat per 100 grams and spirulina does not contain significant amounts.
cholesterol
Egg is high in cholesterol and spirulina has less cholesterol than egg - egg has 372mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and spirulina does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin C than egg - spirulina has 10.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and egg does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Egg is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 452% more Vitamin A than spirulina - spirulina has 29ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and egg has 160ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin D
Egg is a great source of Vitamin D and it has more Vitamin D than spirulina - egg has 82iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and spirulina does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Spirulina has 376% more Vitamin E than egg - spirulina has 5mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and egg has 1.1mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Spirulina has 84 times more Vitamin K than egg - spirulina has 25.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and egg has 0.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, egg contains more Vitamin B12. Both egg and spirulina contain significant amounts of folate.
| Egg | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.04 MG | 2.38 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.457 MG | 3.67 MG |
| Niacin | 0.075 MG | 12.82 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 1.533 MG | 3.48 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.17 MG | 0.364 MG |
| Folate | 47 UG | 94 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.89 UG | ~ |
Minerals
calcium
Both spirulina and egg are high in calcium. Spirulina has 114% more calcium than egg - spirulina has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and egg has 56mg of calcium.
iron
Spirulina is an excellent source of iron and it has 15 times more iron than egg - spirulina has 28.5mg of iron per 100 grams and egg has 1.8mg of iron.
potassium
Spirulina is an excellent source of potassium and it has 888% more potassium than egg - spirulina has 1363mg of potassium per 100 grams and egg has 138mg 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, egg has more lutein + zeaxanthin than spirulina per 100 grams, however, spirulina contains more beta-carotene than egg per 100 grams.
| Egg | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 503 UG | ~ |
| beta-carotene | ~ | 342 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, spirulina has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than egg per 100 grams, however, egg contains more dha than spirulina per 100 grams.
| Egg | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.048 G | 0.823 G |
| DHA | 0.058 G | ~ |
| DPA | 0.007 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.113 G | 0.823 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both egg and spirulina contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Egg | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.022 G | ~ |
| linoleic acid | 1.555 G | 1.254 G |
| Total | 1.577 G | 1.254 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.
Egg g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Spirulina 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 spirulina or egg contain more calories in 100 grams?Both spirulina and egg are high in calories. Spirulina has 100% more calories than egg - spirulina has 290 calories in 100g and egg has 143 calories.
Is spirulina or egg better for protein?
Both spirulina and egg are high in protein. Spirulina has 360% more protein than egg - spirulina has 57.5g of protein per 100 grams and egg has 12.6g of protein.
Does spirulina or egg contain more calcium?
Both spirulina and egg are high in calcium. Spirulina has 110% more calcium than egg - spirulina has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and egg has 56mg of calcium.
Does spirulina or egg contain more iron?
Spirulina is an abundant source of iron and it has 15 times more iron than egg - spirulina has 28.5mg of iron in 100 grams and egg has 1.8mg of iron.
Does spirulina or egg contain more potassium?
Spirulina is a rich source of potassium and it has 890% more potassium than egg - spirulina has 1363mg of potassium in 100 grams and egg has 138mg of potassium.