Broccoli vs. Asparagus: What’s The Difference?

With recent advances in the consumption of vegetables and organic food (Thanks to the collective effort of Vegans, environmentalists, and dieticians), we are finally getting some hope for the health of our civilization. According to a survey by Consumer Goods & FMCG, the consumption of vegetables in Germany grew from 49.9 kg per capita to 105.9 kg per capita. So, vegetables are slowly becoming popular by the day, and we are all for it.

Now that vegetables have a little more attention, people are interested in finding out more about what makes vegetables so healthy, what each vegetable provides us in terms of nutrients, or the difference between certain types of vegetables. And today, we are going to differentiate between two such vegetables.

Despite being similar, Asparagus and Broccoli also have some differences that set them apart, and it is also a reason we should try to incorporate both in our daily diet. Technically speaking, the basic difference is between each vegetable family. Broccoli comes from the Brassicaceae family, and Asparagus comes from the Asparagaceae family. 

Please continue reading to discover all the differences between Broccoli and Asparagus, their taste, texture, smell, and nutrition. 

What is Asparagus 

Asparagus is a versatile vegetable that you can use in various vegetables. It is considered best to eat your Asparagus cooked and not raw because raw Asparagus can be quite hard on our digestive tract. There are several ways of cooking Asparagus, including pan-frying, steaming, baking, and grilling. 

If you have been alive for more than 15 years, you’ll have a pretty good idea about what Asparagus tastes or smell like. But for those that are just getting started, Asparagus has an earthy, mild, and dirt-like smell, and when cooked, it has an egg-like smell.

On the other hand, some describe its taste as similar to green beans and others similar to Broccoli. You can imagine its taste like a mixture between the two, edging a little more towards green beans. However, it tastes like; Asparagus has so many benefits that the bland taste is worth enduring. 

Another thing worth mentioning is the texture of Asparagus. Raw Asparagus has a crunchy, hard, and fibrous texture. But after cooking, the texture changes according to how you cook it. It would be best if you also kept in mind that the bottom part of the Asparagus is really hard and inevitable.

What is Broccoli

Like Asparagus, Broccoli is also highly versatile in its uses, and people use it in several dishes, and others eat it raw. Ways of cooking Broccoli include Pan-frying, steaming, baking, grilling (on your favorite grill), and air frying. Broccoli is also frequently used in salads and coleslaw. 

Broccoli has a bland, earthy flavor that might be hard for our taste buds to accept, but you can add an oil of your choice (rapeseed, Avocado, or olive) along with your favorite herbs and spices to make it taste more as you want. Most people use Broccoli as a side dish to complement their main dishes. But due to its great versatility, you can use Broccoli alongside a great number of dishes; the more popular of these dishes include salads and soup. 

Broccoli has a mild, earthy, and grassy smell when raw. But when cooked, Broccoli tends to smell like eggs. This smell can be off-putting for some people, but keep in mind how wonderfully it works to add a bulk of great nutrients to your diet. So, if your Broccoli smells like eggs, it’s actually normal, and there is nothing to worry about.

Nutritional Comparison Between Asparagus and Broccoli

Asparagus and Broccoli are beaming with the right nutrients like vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, proteins, and phytochemicals. Here is a brief comparison between the nutrients in Asparagus and Broccoli. 

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber is found in abundance in both Asparagus and Broccoli. Asparagus has 2.1 grams of fiber per 100 grams, while Broccoli has 2.6 grams per 100 grams. This difference might not sound too much, but it is about a 25% difference. 

B Vitamins 

Asparagus and Broccoli have different B-Vitamins in large quantities. Asparagus has more Thiamin, Riboflavin, and Niacin, while Broccoli has more Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6, and Folate. B Vitamins are essential for proper energy utilization in our body. 

According to WebMD, a deficiency of B Vitamins can cause stomach problems like gastritis, celiac disease, Immune system disorders, lethargy, and weakness. It should be noted that neither Broccoli nor Asparagus has Vitamin B12, which is a B Vitamin that most Vegans lack in their daily diet.  

Iron

Iron is perhaps the most abundant micronutrient in Asparagus. There is almost 193% more iron in Asparagus than Broccoli. There are 2.1g of iron per 100g of Asparagus and 0.73g in 100g of Broccoli. But all of this iron is non-heam iron, which is a less absorptive form of iron. Heam-iron is found exclusively in animal-based food. 

Vitamin C

Broccoli is considered an excellent source of Vitamin C; it has 14 times as much vitamin C in Broccoli than in Asparagus. The total vitamin C in Asparagus amounts to 5.6g per 100g of Asparagus, while Broccoli has an astounding 89.2g per 100g. 

Calcium

Calcium is one of the most important minerals which make up most of our bone mass. So, we must eat enough Calcium each day to meet our growth and maintenance needs. Both Asparagus and Broccoli are excellent sources of Calcium, specifically Broccoli. Broccoli has 96% more Calcium than Asparagus. 

So What’s the Difference Between Broccoli and Asparagus?

• Broccoli comes from the Brassicaceae family, and Asparagus comes from the Asparagaceae family.
• Asparagus has an earthy dirt-like smell, while Broccoli smells like eggs. 
• Broccoli has a grassy flavor, while Asparagus taste similar to green beans. 
• Asparagus contains more water, vitamin A, vitamin E, iron, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, and Niacin. 
• Broccoli contains more energy, proteins, dietary fibers, calcium, vitamin K, fructose, and magnesium.
• Broccoli has less total sugar. 

Sources

• WebMD
• SouperSage
• Versus