Foie Gras vs. Pate — What Is The Difference?

Taste

People often consider foie gras to taste buttery, rich, and smooth. In comparison, chicken liver pate's creamy texture might be grainy, but the flavor is not as rich as foie gras. However, the taste is always personal; some people might like pate more than foie gras. 

Calories

Foie gras contains 462 calories, and pate contains 201 calories. 

The difference is highly significant. Foie gras contains 2.3 times more calories compared to pate. 

Carbs

Pate contains higher amounts of carbs compared to foie gras. The amount of carbs is not very high overall, but a difference does exist between them. 

Fats

The fat content is the most significant difference regarding their nutritional content differences. 

Since foie gras translates to fatty liver, foie gras is higher in fats than pate.
 

Foie gras contains 3.4 times more fat compared to pate. Foie gras contains 44g of fat, and in comparison, pate contains 13g of fat. 

It is essential to mention the fat categories in this comparison. 

Foie gras contains 10g more saturated fats than pate and 20g more monounsaturated fats. 

However, pate, although much lower in fats, contains a slightly higher amount of polyunsaturated fats, which has little significance.

Below we can visualize their differences. 

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Chicken liver pate

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 4 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 5.28 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 2.46 g

Foie gras

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 14.45 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 25.61 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.84 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat	-72.3%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+192.9%

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat

+385%

Protein

Pate is slightly richer in proteins. The difference is not of high significance. Pate contains 13g of protein, whereas pate contains 11.5g. 

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Chicken liver pate

3

Protein: 13.45 g

Fats: 13.1 g

Carbs: 6.55 g

Water: 65.64 g

Other: 1.26 g

Foie gras

2

Protein: 11.4 g

Fats: 43.84 g

Carbs: 4.67 g

Water: 37.04 g

Other: 3.05 g

Contains more ProteinProtein	+18%
Contains more CarbsCarbs	+40.3%
Contains more WaterWater	+77.2%

Contains more FatsFats	+234.7%
Contains more OtherOther	+142.1%

Minerals

Pate is richer in zinc and iron. It is also lower in sodium.

On the other hand, foie gras is richer in calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. 

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.

Chicken liver pate

4

Foie gras

4

Contains more IronIron	+67.1%
Contains more ZincZinc	+132.6%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-44.6%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+35%

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+600%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+45.3%
Contains more CopperCopper	+122.2%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+14.3%

~equal in Magnesium ~13mg

~equal in Selenium ~44µg

Vitamins 

Pate is vitamin dense and is richer in vitamins C, E, B2, B5, B6, and folate. In comparison, foie gras is richer in vitamins A and B12. 

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.

Chicken liver pate

8

Foie gras

3

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+400%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+368.6%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+199.5%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+118.3%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+333.3%
Contains more FolateFolate	+435%
Contains more CholineCholine	+∞%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+360.4%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+69.2%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+16.5%

~equal in Vitamin D ~µg

~equal in Vitamin K ~µg

Cancer

Research has shown that processed meat is closely linked to a higher likelihood of developing cancer and has been categorized as a Group 1 carcinogen. This classification indicates substantial evidence that consuming large amounts of processed meat leads to an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Pate is considered processed meat that is positively associated with cancer(1)

Cardiovascular health 

Foie gras ticks most boxes regarding cardiovascular health's negative impacts. 

Foie gras is high in sodium, increasing hypertension risks and mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases. (2)

In addition, foie gras contains high saturated fats, which are associated with increased risks of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, and cardiological guidelines recommend consuming lower amounts of saturated fats. In addition, the focus is on consuming unsaturated fats and considering that foie gras is richer in monounsaturated fats. (3)

However, it is counterintuitive to say eating foie gras is good for your health when it is high in saturated fats and sodium.  

Miscellaneous

Although if we consider several aspects, pate is richer in vitamins, which has many benefits for our health. Foie gras is richer in copper, phosphorus, and vitamins B12 and A. However, considering both foods, their cons outweigh their pros. Even comparatively, we can't conclude whether one is healthier. 
It is like saying, are cigars healthier than cigarettes?