Garlic vs onion: which is healthier?
They are about equally nutrient-dense: garlic scores 63/100 and onion 63/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
Garlic
149 kcal per 100 g. 1 clove: 3 g
Onion
40 kcal per 100 g. 1 medium onion: 110 g
Which to pick for your goal
- Fewer caloriesOnion149 vs 40 kcal per 100 g
- More proteinGarlic6.4 vs 1.1 g per 100 g
- More fiberAbout even2.1 vs 1.7 g per 100 g
- Less sugarGarlic1 vs 4.2 g per 100 g
- More potassiumGarlic401 vs 146 mg per 100 g
- Less saturated fatAbout even<0.1 vs <0.1 g per 100 g
Nutrition side by side
| Nutrient | Garlic, 100 g | Onion, 100 g | Garlic, 3 g | Onion, 110 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 149 kcal | 40 kcal | 4 kcal | 44 kcal |
| Protein | 6.4 g | 1.1 g | 0.2 g | 1.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g | 9.3 g | 1 g | 10 g |
| Sugars | 1 g | 4.2 g | <0.1 g | 4.7 g |
| Fiber | 2.1 g | 1.7 g | <0.1 g | 1.9 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g | 0.1 g | <0.1 g | 0.1 g |
| Saturated fat | <0.1 g | <0.1 g | <0.1 g | <0.1 g |
| Vitamin C | 31 mg | 7.4 mg | 0.9 mg | 8.1 mg |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg |
| Potassium | 401 mg | 146 mg | 12 mg | 161 mg |
| Iron | 1.7 mg | 0.2 mg | <0.1 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Calcium | 181 mg | 23 mg | 5.4 mg | 25 mg |
| Magnesium | 25 mg | 10 mg | 0.8 mg | 11 mg |
| Sodium | 17 mg | 4 mg | 0.5 mg | 4.4 mg |
Last updated . Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.