Basil vs. Butterhead Lettuce
Nutrition comparison of Basil and Butterhead Lettuce
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
basil
versus
butterhead lettuce
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in basil and butterhead lettuce:
- Both butterhead lettuce and basil are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin K and potassium.
- Basil is a great source of Vitamin C.
- Basil is an excellent source of calcium and iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Butterhead Lettuce (Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Butterhead lettuce and basil contain similar amounts of calories - butterhead lettuce has 13 calories per 100 grams and basil has 23 calories.
| Basil | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | ~ | 50% |
| Carbohydrates | ~ | 50% |
| Fat | ~ | ~ |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both butterhead lettuce and basil are low in carbohydrates - butterhead lettuce has 2.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in butterhead lettuce are made of 54% dietary fiber and 46% sugar, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 84% dietary fiber and 16% sugar.
dietary fiber
Basil has 45% more dietary fiber than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 1.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Butterhead lettuce and basil contain similar amounts of sugar - butterhead lettuce has 0.94g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Basil has 133% more protein than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 1.4g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both butterhead lettuce and basil are low in saturated fat - butterhead lettuce has 0.03g 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 386% more Vitamin C than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 3.7mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and basil has 18mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both butterhead lettuce and basil are high in Vitamin A. Basil has 59% more Vitamin A than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 166ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Butterhead lettuce and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - butterhead lettuce has 0.18mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and basil has 0.8mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both butterhead lettuce and basil are high in Vitamin K. Basil has 305% more Vitamin K than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 102.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Both basil and butterhead lettuce contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Basil | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.034 MG | 0.057 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.076 MG | 0.062 MG |
| Niacin | 0.902 MG | 0.357 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.209 MG | 0.15 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.155 MG | 0.082 MG |
| Folate | 68 UG | 73 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Basil is an excellent source of calcium and it has 406% more calcium than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 35mg of calcium per 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
iron
Basil is an excellent source of iron and it has 156% more iron than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 1.2mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both butterhead lettuce and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 24% more potassium than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 238mg 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, both basil and butterhead lettuce contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Basil | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3142 UG | 1987 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 5650 UG | 1223 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than butterhead lettuce per 100 grams.
| Basil | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.316 G | 0.083 G |
| Total | 0.316 G | 0.083 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, basil has more linoleic acid than butterhead lettuce per 100 grams.
| Basil | Butterhead Lettuce | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.073 G | 0.034 G |
| Total | 0.073 G | 0.034 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Butterhead Lettuce (Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw) .
Basil g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Butterhead Lettuce g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does butterhead lettuce or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?Butterhead lettuce and basil contain similar amounts of calories - butterhead lettuce has 13 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.
Is butterhead lettuce or basil better for protein?
Basil has 130% more protein than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 1.4g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Does butterhead lettuce or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both butterhead lettuce and basil are low in carbohydrates - butterhead lettuce has 2.2g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in butterhead lettuce are made of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.
Does butterhead lettuce or basil contain more calcium?
Basil is a rich source of calcium and it has 410% more calcium than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 35mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
Does butterhead lettuce or basil contain more iron?
Basil is an abundant source of iron and it has 160% more iron than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 1.2mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
Does butterhead lettuce or basil contain more potassium?
Both butterhead lettuce and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 20% more potassium than butterhead lettuce - butterhead lettuce has 238mg of potassium in 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.