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Angel food cake vs. Pound cake — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Elen Khachatrian by Elen Khachatrian | Last updated on June 22, 2023
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. What's The Actual Difference?
      1. Nutrition
        1. Macronutrients
          1. Fats
            1. Carbs
              1. Calories
                1. Vitamins
                  1. Minerals
                    1. Glycemic Index
                      1. Health Impact
                        1. Diabetes
                        2. References
                          Angel food cake
                          vs
                          Pound cake

                          Summary

                          Angel food cake contains more magnesium, calcium, and Vitamin B2 than pound cake. It is also lower in cholesterol, saturated fats, and sugars.

                          Pound cake is richer in Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B family, folate, iron, and zinc.

                          It also has lower sodium.

                          Table of contents

                          1. Introduction
                            1. What's The Actual Difference?
                              1. Nutrition
                                1. Macronutrients
                                  1. Fats
                                    1. Carbs
                                      1. Calories
                                        1. Vitamins
                                          1. Minerals
                                            1. Glycemic Index
                                              1. Health Impact
                                                1. Diabetes
                                                2. References

                                                  Introduction

                                                  We will discuss the main differences between angel food cake and pound cake, focusing on the nutritional value.

                                                  What's The Actual Difference?

                                                  Angel cake and pound cake have different ingredients, tastes, and appearances. 
                                                  Angel food cake is a sponge cake with egg whites, flour, and sugar. It differs from pound cake in that it contains no butter. The whipped egg white gives it an aerated texture. Pound cake's ingredients are t salt, flour, eggs, sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla. It has a sweet and buttery taste and a dense, velvety texture.

                                                  Nutrition

                                                  In this section, we will look into the differences between angel and pound cake nutrients. Find the nutrition infographics at the bottom of the page․

                                                  Specific food types used in this comparison are pound cake with butter and angel food cake.

                                                  Macronutrients

                                                  The chart below shows that angel food cake is richer in water and carbs. In contrast, pound cake contains more amounts of fats.

                                                  Macronutrient Comparison

                                                  Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                                  6% 58% 33% 2%
                                                  Protein: 5.9 g
                                                  Fats: 0.8 g
                                                  Carbs: 57.8 g
                                                  Water: 33.2 g
                                                  Other: 2.3 g
                                                  5% 14% 54% 26%
                                                  Protein: 5 g
                                                  Fats: 13.96 g
                                                  Carbs: 53.64 g
                                                  Water: 25.87 g
                                                  Other: 1.53 g
                                                  Contains more ProteinProtein +18%
                                                  Contains more WaterWater +28.3%
                                                  Contains more OtherOther +50.3%
                                                  Contains more FatsFats +1645%
                                                  ~equal in Carbs ~53.64g

                                                  Fats

                                                  Pound cake contains more fats than angel food cake. It has 14g of fat, while angel cake provides 0.8g of fat.

                                                  Fat Type Comparison

                                                  Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                                  22% 13% 66%
                                                  Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 0.121 g
                                                  Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 0.071 g
                                                  Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.367 g
                                                  43% 27% 30%
                                                  Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 4.811 g
                                                  Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 3.02 g
                                                  Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 3.419 g
                                                  Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat -97.5%
                                                  Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat +4153.5%
                                                  Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +831.6%

                                                  Carbs

                                                  Both have high amounts of carbs. Angel cake has 58g of carbs per 100g, and pound cake contains 54g of carbs per 100g. If you're controlling your blood sugar levels, be mindful of eating these cakes.

                                                  Calories

                                                  Both are high in calories. However, pound cake has more calories, containing 353 calories per 100g, whereas angel food cake contains 258 calories per 100g.

                                                  Vitamins

                                                  The vitamin content of pound cake is richer than that of angel food cake.

                                                  It provides five times more Vitamin B12 and more Vitamin B5, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and folate.

                                                  On the other hand, angel cake contains more Vitamin B2.

                                                  Vitamin Comparison

                                                  Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                                  Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 0% 0% 0% 26% 113% 17% 12% 7.2% 7.5% 0% 26% 0%
                                                  Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 23% 13% 12% 43% 57% 30% 29% 8.3% 45% 4.3% 32% 36%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +97.2%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +∞%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +69.6%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +82.9%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +144.9%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +16.1%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +500%
                                                  Contains more FolateFolate +20%
                                                  ~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

                                                  Minerals

                                                  Angel cake has more magnesium, potassium, copper, and calcium than pound cake.

                                                  The amount of calcium is two times higher in angel cake.

                                                  On the other hand, pond cake has more iron, potassium, zinc, and less sodium than angel cake.

                                                  Mineral Comparison

                                                  Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                                  Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 8.6% 42% 8.2% 20% 26% 1.9% 139% 98% 11% 40%
                                                  Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 5.7% 14% 13% 56% 14% 12% 60% 49% 14% 27%
                                                  Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +50%
                                                  Contains more CalciumCalcium +197.9%
                                                  Contains more CopperCopper +85.7%
                                                  Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +131.4%
                                                  Contains more SeleniumSelenium +46%
                                                  Contains more PotassiumPotassium +60.2%
                                                  Contains more IronIron +184.6%
                                                  Contains more ZincZinc +514.3%
                                                  Contains less SodiumSodium -49.7%
                                                  Contains more ManganeseManganese +29.4%

                                                  Glycemic Index

                                                  The GI of pound cake is 54, whereas the GI of angel cake is unknown. However, both are high in carbs, so it is better to avoid too much consumption. Check our glycemic index chart page for more information about other foods' GI. 

                                                  Health Impact

                                                  Of these two cakes, angel cake is a healthier choice because it has no butter and also contains a good amount of fats and fiber. Besides, it has a low saturated fat and cholesterol content and is high in riboflavin and phosphorus [1]. Nevertheless, it is high in carbs, so be mindful of its consumption.

                                                  Diabetes

                                                  According to research [2], consuming highly processed foods high in simple carbohydrates may significantly increase blood sugar levels in people with type 1 and 2 diabetes. So it is better to avoid them if you have diabetes or comorbidities.

                                                  References

                                                  1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19646042/
                                                  2. https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/27/9/2266/22648/Dietary-Carbohydrate-Amount-and-Type-in-the
                                                  Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
                                                  Education: Nutrition & Microbiology at YSU
                                                  Last updated: June 22, 2023
                                                  Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

                                                  Infographic

                                                  Angel food cake vs Pound cake infographic
                                                  Infographic link

                                                  All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                                                  Nutrient Angel food cake Pound cake DV% diff.
                                                  Phosphorus 324mg 140mg 26%
                                                  Cholesterol 0mg 66mg 22%
                                                  Saturated fat 0.121g 4.811g 21%
                                                  Fats 0.8g 13.96g 20%
                                                  Polyunsaturated fat 0.367g 3.419g 20%
                                                  Vitamin B2 0.491mg 0.249mg 19%
                                                  Sodium 749mg 377mg 16%
                                                  Threonine 0.248mg 153mg 15%
                                                  Vitamin B12 0.06µg 0.36µg 13%
                                                  Choline 65.6mg 12%
                                                  Iron 0.52mg 1.48mg 12%
                                                  Calcium 140mg 47mg 9%
                                                  Vitamin A 0µg 70µg 8%
                                                  Starch 17.36g 7%
                                                  Monounsaturated fat 0.071g 3.02g 7%
                                                  Vitamin B5 0.198mg 0.485mg 6%
                                                  Vitamin B1 0.102mg 0.173mg 6%
                                                  Calories 258kcal 353kcal 5%
                                                  Vitamin B3 0.883mg 1.615mg 5%
                                                  Vitamin E 0.65mg 4%
                                                  Vitamin D 0.8µg 4%
                                                  Selenium 7.3µg 5µg 4%
                                                  Copper 0.078mg 0.042mg 4%
                                                  Fiber 1.5g 0.6g 4%
                                                  Vitamin D 34IU 4%
                                                  Zinc 0.07mg 0.43mg 3%
                                                  Potassium 93mg 149mg 2%
                                                  Protein 5.9g 5g 2%
                                                  Folate 35µg 42µg 2%
                                                  Manganese 0.085mg 0.11mg 1%
                                                  Magnesium 12mg 8mg 1%
                                                  Vitamin K 1.7µg 1%
                                                  Carbs 57.8g 53.64g 1%
                                                  Net carbs 56.3g 53.04g N/A
                                                  Sugar 33.36g N/A
                                                  Vitamin B6 0.031mg 0.036mg 0%
                                                  Trans fat 0.192g N/A
                                                  Tryptophan 0.075mg 0.041mg 0%
                                                  Isoleucine 0.312mg 0.204mg 0%
                                                  Leucine 0.481mg 0.397mg 0%
                                                  Lysine 0.364mg 0.198mg 0%
                                                  Methionine 0.183mg 0.117mg 0%
                                                  Phenylalanine 0.334mg 0.239mg 0%
                                                  Valine 0.354mg 0.249mg 0%
                                                  Histidine 0.131mg 0.117mg 0%
                                                  Fructose 0.33g 0%
                                                  Omega-3 - EPA 0.001g N/A
                                                  Omega-3 - DHA 0.007g N/A
                                                  Omega-3 - ALA 0.372g N/A
                                                  Omega-3 - DPA 0.005g N/A
                                                  Omega-6 - Gamma-linoleic acid 0.015g N/A
                                                  Omega-6 - Dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid 0.008g N/A
                                                  Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid 0.004g N/A
                                                  Omega-6 - Linoleic acid 2.895g N/A

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                                                  References

                                                  All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                                                  1. Angel food cake - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172694/nutrients
                                                  2. Pound cake - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172704/nutrients

                                                  All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                                                  Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.