Basil vs. Asparagus

Nutrition comparison of Basil and Asparagus

Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of basil versus asparagus (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in basil and asparagus:

  • Both asparagus and basil are high in iron and potassium.
  • Asparagus has more thiamin.
  • Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber.
  • Basil is a great source of Vitamin C.
  • Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K and calcium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of basil and asparagus is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.

Image of Basil src
Image of Asparagus src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and basil has 23 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, basil is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to asparagus per calorie. Basil has a macronutrient ratio of 44:37:19 and for asparagus, 35:62:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Basil Asparagus
Protein 44% 35%
Carbohydrates 37% 62%
Fat 19% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both asparagus and basil are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in asparagus are made of 53% dietary fiber and 47% sugar, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 84% dietary fiber and 16% sugar.

dietary fiber

Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 31% more dietary fiber than basil - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both asparagus and basil are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and basil has 0.04g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Basil is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 221% more Vitamin C than asparagus - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and basil has 18mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 595% more Vitamin A than asparagus - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and basil has 0.8mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 897% more Vitamin K than asparagus - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Asparagus has more thiamin. Both basil and asparagus contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.

Basil Asparagus
Thiamin 0.034 MG 0.143 MG
Riboflavin 0.076 MG 0.141 MG
Niacin 0.902 MG 0.978 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.209 MG 0.274 MG
Vitamin B6 0.155 MG 0.091 MG
Folate 68 UG 52 UG

Minerals

calcium

Basil is an excellent source of calcium and it has 638% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.

iron

Both asparagus and basil are high in iron. Basil has 48% more iron than asparagus - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.

potassium

Both asparagus and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 46% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids,

Basil Asparagus
beta-carotene 3142 UG 449 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 5650 UG 710 UG
alpha-carotene ~ 9 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than asparagus per 100 grams.

Basil Asparagus
alpha linoleic acid 0.316 G 0.01 G
Total 0.316 G 0.01 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both basil and asparagus contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.

Basil Asparagus
linoleic acid 0.073 G 0.04 G
Total 0.073 G 0.04 G


Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Basil or Asparagus .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) .

Basil 100g

( 100 g )
Daily Values (%)

Asparagus 100g

( 100 g )
23KCAL 1%
15% calories
20KCAL 1%
2.7G 1%
carbohydrates 44%
3.9G 2%
1.6G 6%
dietary fiber 31%
2.1G 8%
0.3G sugar 533% 1.9G
0.64G 1%
433% total fat
0.12G 0.2%
0.04G 0.2%
saturated fat
0.04G 0.2%
0.09G >999% monounsaturated fat
0.39G 679% polyunsaturated fat 0.05G
4MG 0.3%
100% sodium
2MG 0.1%
Vitamins and Minerals
264UG 38%
595% Vitamin A
38UG 5%
18MG 24%
221% Vitamin C
5.6MG 8%
177MG 18%
637% calcium
24MG 2%
3.2MG 18%
52% iron
2.1MG 12%
64MG 21%
357% magnesium
14MG 5%
295MG 13%
46% potassium
202MG 9%
0.03MG 3%
thiamin (Vit B1) 365%
0.14MG 13%
0.08MG 7%
riboflavin (Vit B2) 75%
0.14MG 13%
0.9MG 6%
niacin (Vit B3) 9%
0.98MG 7%
0.16MG 12%
78% Vitamin B6
0.09MG 7%
0.21MG 4%
pantothenic acid (Vit B5) 29%
0.27MG 6%
68UG 17%
31% folate (Vit B9)
52UG 13%
0.8MG 5%
Vitamin E 37%
1.1MG 8%
415UG 461%
888% Vitamin K
42UG 46%
3.2G 6%
45% protein
2.2G 4%
11MG 3%
choline 45%
16MG 4%
0.39MG 32%
105% copper
0.19MG 16%
1.1MG 64%
587% manganese
0.16MG 9%
56MG 8%
8% phosphorus
52MG 7%
0.3UG 1%
selenium 666%
2.3UG 4%
0.81MG 10%
50% zinc
0.54MG 7%
92G Water 1% 93G


NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS (either food): Starch, Alcohol, chlorine, chromium, fluoride, iodine, molybdenum, Vitamin D, biotin (Vit B7), Vitamin B12, cholesterol, trans fat.

FAQ

Does asparagus or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?
Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.

Is asparagus or basil better for protein?
Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.

Does asparagus or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both asparagus and basil are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in asparagus are made of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.

Does asparagus or basil contain more calcium?
Basil is a rich source of calcium and it has 640% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.

Does asparagus or basil contain more iron?
Both asparagus and basil are high in iron. Basil has 50% more iron than asparagus - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.

Does asparagus or basil contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 50% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.

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