Onion vs Garlic: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Garlic has higher protein at 6.4 g compared to onion's 1.1 g. Onion is lower in calories with 40 calories versus garlic's 149 calories.

Onion and garlic are both commonly used in cooking, each offering unique flavors and health benefits. This comparison highlights their nutritional differences per 100 g.

What Is the Difference Between Onion and Garlic?

Onion is a bulb vegetable known for its strong flavor and aroma, commonly used in various cuisines worldwide. Garlic is a bulbous plant used as a seasoning and medicinal ingredient, known for its pungent flavor and potential health benefits.

Onion vs Garlic: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the nutritional content of onion and garlic.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Onion (raw)	Garlic (raw)
Calories	40 kcal	149 kcal
Protein	1.1 g	6.4 g
Carbs	9.3 g	33.1 g
Sugar	4.2 g	1 g
Fat	0.1 g	0.5 g
Fiber	1.7 g	2.1 g
Sodium	4 mg	17 mg

Which Is Better, Onion or Garlic?

For weight loss: Onion is more suitable for weight loss, containing 40 calories compared to garlic's 149 calories.

For muscle and protein: Garlic is better for muscle building, providing 6.4 g of protein, while onion offers only 1.1 g.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Onion has lower carbohydrates at 9.3 g and sugar at 4.2 g, compared to garlic's 33.1 g of carbs and 1 g of sugar.

How to Track Onion and Garlic Accurately

Portion sizes and macronutrient content can often be misjudged, affecting nutritional intake. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional for dietary recommendations. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Garlic has more protein at 6.4 g, while onion contains 1.1 g.

Which has fewer calories?

Onion has fewer calories at 40, compared to garlic's 149 calories.

What is the carbohydrate content in onion?

Onion contains 9.3 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.

What is the sugar content in garlic?

Garlic has 1 g of sugar per 100 g.

How much fiber is in onion?

Onion contains 1.7 g of fiber per 100 g.

What is the sodium content in garlic?

Garlic contains 17 mg of sodium per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Onion: 40 calories per 100 g.
• Garlic: 149 calories per 100 g.
• Onion: 1.1 g protein per 100 g.
• Garlic: 6.4 g protein per 100 g.
• Onion: 9.3 g carbs per 100 g.
• Garlic: 33.1 g carbs per 100 g.