Comparing Nutrients in 500 calories Spirulina VS Sunflower Seeds

Weight per 500 calories

• Spirulina: 1923g
• Sunflower Seeds: 85.6g

Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels have 22.5 times more energy per unit of mass than Raw Spirulina Seaweed, which is very high in comparison to other foods. Spirulina having very low energy density.

Which food has more nutrients per 500 calories - Spirulina or Sunflower Seeds?

Macros Ratio

	Protein	Fat	Carbs
Spirulina	64%	10%	26%
Sunflower Seeds	13%	74%	13%

Macro Nutrients

	Spirulina	Sunflower Seeds	Recommended Dietary Allowance
Energy	17.2% 500kcal	17.2% 500kcal	2900kcal per day for Men 19-50 years
Fat	7.73% 7.5g	45.4% 44g	97g per day for Men 19-50 years
Saturated Fat	8.1% 2.6g	12% 3.8g	32g per day for Men 19-50 years
Omega 3	50.5% 0.81g	3.2% 0.051g	1.6g per day for Men 19-50 years
Omega 6	7.24% 1.23g	116% 19.7g	17g per day for Men 19-50 years
Cholesterol	0% 0mg	0% 0mg	290mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Carbohydrate	35.8% 46.5g	13% 17g	130g per day for Men 19-50 years
Sugars	7.96% 5.77g	3.1% 2.24g	72.5g per day for Men 19-50 years	Limit added sugars in the diet to less than 10% of total calories [Guidelines 2020]
Fructose	NA	NA	72.5g per day for Men 19-50 years	≤50g/day or ~10% of energy has no deleterious effect on lipid and glucose control and of ≤100g/day does not influence body weight[PMC2991323]
Glucose	NA	NA	g per day for Men 19-50 years
Sucrose	NA	% 2.14g	g per day for Men 19-50 years
Fiber	20.2% 7.7g	19.4% 7.36g	38g per day for Men 19-50 years
Protein	203% 114g	31.8% 17.8g	56g per day for Men 19-50 years

Vitamins

	Spirulina	Sunflower Seeds	Recommended Dietary Allowance
Vitamin A	6.4% 57.7μg	0.29% 2.57μg	900μg per day for Men 19-50 years	RAE, retinol activity equivalents
Vitamin B1	356% 4.27mg	106% 1.27mg	1.2mg per day for Men 19-50 years	Thiamine
Vitamin B2	506% 6.58mg	23.4% 0.3mg	1.3mg per day for Men 19-50 years	Riboflavin
Vitamin B3	144% 23mg	44.6% 7.14mg	16mg per day for Men 19-50 years	Niacin, nicotinic acid, niacinamide
Vitamin B5	125% 6.25mg	19.3% 0.97mg	5mg per day for Men 19-50 years	Pantothenic acid
Vitamin B6	50.3% 0.65mg	88.6% 1.15mg	1.3mg per day for Men 19-50 years	Pyridoxine
Vitamin B7	NA	NA	30μg per day for Men 19-50 years	Biotin
Vitamin B9	43.3% 173μg	48.6% 194μg	400μg per day for Men 19-50 years	Folates and Folic Acid
Vitamin B12	0% 0μg	0% 0μg	2.4μg per day for Men 19-50 years	Cobalamin
Vitamin C	19.2% 17.3mg	1.33% 1.2mg	90mg per day for Men 19-50 years	Ascorbic acid
Vitamin D	0% 0IU	0% 0IU	600IU per day for Men 19-50 years	Calciferol, cholecalciferol, ergocalciferol
Vitamin E	63% 9.42mg	201% 30mg	15mg per day for Men 19-50 years	Tocopherols and Tocotrienols
Vitamin K	40% 48μg	0% 0μg	120μg per day for Men 19-50 years	Phytomenadione or phylloquinone

Minerals

	Spirulina	Sunflower Seeds	Recommended Dietary Allowance
Calcium	23% 231mg	6.68% 66.8mg	1000mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Copper	1276% 11.5mg	171% 1.54mg	0.9mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Fluoride	NA	NA	4000μg per day for Men 19-50 years	Fluoride is a mineral that helps prevent tooth decay and helps keep your bones strong. [RDA]
Iron	671% 53.7mg	56% 4.5mg	8mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Magnesium	87% 365mg	66.3% 278mg	420mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Manganese	156% 3.58mg	72.6% 1.67mg	2.3mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Molybdenum	NA	NA	45μg per day for Men 19-50 years	Molybdenum is an essential trace element that is naturally present in many foods [RDA]
Phosphorus	30.2% 212mg	80.7% 565mg	700mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Potassium	72% 2442mg	16.2% 552mg	3400mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Selenium	24.5% 13.5μg	82.5% 45.4μg	55μg per day for Men 19-50 years
Sodium	126% 1885mg	0.51% 7.7mg	1500mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Zinc	35% 3.85mg	39% 4.3mg	11mg per day for Men 19-50 years
Water	47% 1744g	0.11% 4.05g	3700g per day for Men 19-50 years

Lets compare vitamin content per 500 calories of Spirulina vs Sunflower Seeds:

• Raw Spirulina Seaweed has 22.5 times more Vitamin A, 3.4 times more Vitamin B1, 21.6 times more Vitamin B2, 3.2 times more Vitamin B3, 6.5 times more Vitamin B5, 14.4 times more Vitamin C and more Vitamin K than Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels.
• While Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels contain 1.8 times more Vitamin B6 and 3.2 times more Vitamin E than Raw Spirulina Seaweed.
• Both Raw Spirulina Seaweed and Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels have similar amounts of Vitamin B9 per 500 kcal.
• Both Raw Spirulina Seaweed as well as Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels have insufficient amounts of Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D in 500 kcal.

Comparing minerals per 500 calories for Spirulina vs Sunflower Seeds:

• Raw Spirulina Seaweed has 3.5 times more Calcium, 7.4 times more Copper, 11.9 times more Iron, 1.3 times more Magnesium, 2.1 times more Manganese, 4.4 times more Potassium, 244.6 times more Sodium and 430.6 times more Water than Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels.
• While Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels contain 2.7 times more Phosphorus and 3.4 times more Selenium than Raw Spirulina Seaweed.
• Both Raw Spirulina Seaweed and Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels have similar amounts of Zinc per 500 kcal.

Comparison of macro-nutrients per 500 calories:

• Raw Spirulina Seaweed has 15.7 times more Omega 3, 2.7 times more Carbohydrate, 2.6 times more Sugars and 6.4 times more Protein than Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels.
• While Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels contain 5.9 times more Fat, 1.5 times more Saturated Fat and 16 times more Omega 6 than Raw Spirulina Seaweed.
• Both Raw Spirulina Seaweed and Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels have similar amounts of Energy and Fiber per 500 kcal.
• Both Raw Spirulina Seaweed as well as Dried Sunflower Seed Kernels have insufficient amounts of Cholesterol, Glucose and Sucrose in 500 kcal.