Basil vs. Parsley

Nutrition comparison of Basil and Parsley


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

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

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

  • Both parsley and basil are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, iron and potassium.
  • Parsley has more thiamin and folate.
  • Parsley is an excellent source of dietary fiber.
Detailed nutritional comparison of basil and parsley 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 Parsley (Parsley, fresh) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Basil src
Image of Parsley src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of calories - parsley has 36 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 parsley per calorie. Basil has a macronutrient ratio of 43:32:24 and for parsley, 27:57:17 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Basil Parsley
Protein 43% 27%
Carbohydrates 32% 57%
Fat 24% 17%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of carbs - parsley has 6.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Parsley is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 106% more dietary fiber than basil - parsley has 3.3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of sugar - parsley has 0.85g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of protein - parsley has 3g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both parsley and basil are low in saturated fat - parsley has 0.13g of saturated fat per 100 grams and basil has 0.04g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Both parsley and basil are high in Vitamin C. Parsley has 639% more Vitamin C than basil - parsley has 133mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and basil has 18mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Both parsley and basil are high in Vitamin A. Parsley has 59% more Vitamin A than basil - parsley has 421ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - parsley has 0.75mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and basil has 0.8mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Both parsley and basil are high in Vitamin K. Parsley has 295% more Vitamin K than basil - parsley has 1640ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Basil Parsley
Thiamin 0.034 MG 0.086 MG
Riboflavin 0.076 MG 0.098 MG
Niacin 0.902 MG 1.313 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.209 MG 0.4 MG
Vitamin B6 0.155 MG 0.09 MG
Folate 68 UG 152 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both parsley and basil are high in calcium. Basil has 28% more calcium than parsley - parsley has 138mg of calcium per 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.

iron

Both parsley and basil are high in iron. Parsley has 96% more iron than basil - parsley has 6.2mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.

potassium

Both parsley and basil are high in potassium. Parsley has 88% more potassium than basil - parsley has 554mg 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 parsley contain significant amounts of beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin.

Basil Parsley
beta-carotene 3142 UG 5054 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 5650 UG 5561 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Basil Parsley
alpha linoleic acid 0.316 G 0.008 G
Total 0.316 G 0.008 G

omega 6s

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

Basil Parsley
linoleic acid 0.073 G 0.115 G
Total 0.073 G 0.115 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 Parsley (Parsley, fresh) .

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FAQ

Does parsley or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?
Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of calories - parsley has 36 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.

Is parsley or basil better for protein?
Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of protein - parsley has 3g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.

Does parsley or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, parsley and basil contain similar amounts of carbs - parsley has 6.3g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.

Does parsley or basil contain more calcium?
Both parsley and basil are high in calcium. Basil has 30% more calcium than parsley - parsley has 138mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.

Does parsley or basil contain more iron?
Both parsley and basil are high in iron. Parsley has 100% more iron than basil - parsley has 6.2mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.

Does parsley or basil contain more potassium?
Both parsley and basil are high in potassium. Parsley has 90% more potassium than basil - parsley has 554mg of potassium in 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.