Eating sprouts is a great way to increase your intake of fiber, plant-based protein, and a wide array of vitamins and minerals. When you add these benefits to their mild flavor and satisfying crunch, it is easy to understand why so many people love them. With all the benefits that sprouts offer, one question remains, do sprouts have quercetin?
Quick Answer: Yes – Sprouts do contain quercetin. Compared to other similar foods, their quercetin content can be from low to moderate.
Quercetin Content of Sprouts
The quercetin content of sprouts depends on the type of sprout. Common bean sprouts have only 0.15mg/100g of quercetin, while alfalfa sprouts contain 1.70mg/100g. Sprouts are also rich in protein, micronutrients, and antioxidants.
Are Sprouts High in Quercetin?
Compared to other foods, sprouts are low to moderate in quercetin.
Let’s take a look at how it compares to 5 similar foods.
- Turnip greens offer 0.73mg/100g of quercetin, falling at the midpoint of what sprouts provide.
- Watercress is exceptionally high in quercetin, offering 29.99mg/100g compared to sprouts 1.7mg maximum.
- Celery leaves have 0.39mg/100g of quercetin, placing them close to the bottom of the range sprouts offer.
- Iceberg lettuce is comparable to sprouts in quercetin content delivering 1.42mg/100g.
- Green onions are no competition for sprouts as they contain no quercetin.
Sources:
USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods: https://www.ars.usda.gov/arsuserfiles/80400525/data/flav/flav_r03.pdf
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
