Basil vs. Sweet Potatoes
Nutrition comparison of Basil and Sweet Potatoes
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
basil
versus
sweet potatoes
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in basil and sweet potatoes:
- Both sweet potatoes and basil are high in Vitamin A and potassium.
- Basil has 6.5 times less carbohydrates than sweet potato.
- Basil has 73% less calories than sweet potato.
- Basil is a great source of Vitamin C.
- Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin K, calcium and iron.
- Sweet potato has more beta-carotene than basil, however, basil contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than sweet potato.
- Sweet potato has more thiamin and pantothenic acid, however, basil contains more folate.
- Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Basil has 73% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and basil has 23 calories.
| Basil | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 43% | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 32% | 92% |
| Fat | 24% | 1% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Basil has 6.5 times less carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in sweet potatoes are made of 64% starch, 21% sugar and 15% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 84% dietary fiber and 16% sugar.
dietary fiber
Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 88% more dietary fiber than basil - sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Sweet potatoes and basil contain similar amounts of sugar - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Sweet potatoes and basil contain similar amounts of protein - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both sweet potatoes and basil are low in saturated fat - sweet potato has 0.02g 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 650% more Vitamin C than sweet potato - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and basil has 18mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both sweet potatoes and basil are high in Vitamin A. Sweet potato has 169% more Vitamin A than basil - sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Sweet potatoes and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sweet potato has 0.26mg 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 229 times more Vitamin K than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Sweet potato has more thiamin and pantothenic acid, however, basil contains more folate. Both basil and sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B6.
| Basil | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.034 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.076 MG | 0.061 MG |
| Niacin | 0.902 MG | 0.557 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.209 MG | 0.8 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.155 MG | 0.209 MG |
| Folate | 68 UG | 11 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Basil is an excellent source of calcium and it has 490% more calcium than sweet potato - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
iron
Basil is an excellent source of iron and it has 420% more iron than sweet potato - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both sweet potatoes and basil are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 14% more potassium than basil - sweet potato has 337mg 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, sweet potato has more beta-carotene than basil per 100 grams, however, basil contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than sweet potato per 100 grams.
| Basil | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3142 UG | 8509 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 5650 UG | ~ |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 7 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than sweet potato per 100 grams.
| Basil | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.316 G | 0.001 G |
| Total | 0.316 G | 0.001 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, basil has more linoleic acid than sweet potato per 100 grams.
| Basil | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.073 G | 0.013 G |
| Total | 0.073 G | 0.013 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 Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .
Basil g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Sweet Potatoes 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 sweet potatoes or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?Basil has 70% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.
Is sweet potatoes or basil better for protein?
Sweet potatoes and basil contain similar amounts of protein - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Does sweet potatoes or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, basil has 6.5 times fewer carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in sweet potatoes are made of 60% starch, 20% sugar and 20% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.
Does sweet potatoes or basil contain more calcium?
Basil is a rich source of calcium and it has 490% more calcium than sweet potato - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
Does sweet potatoes or basil contain more iron?
Basil is an abundant source of iron and it has 420% more iron than sweet potato - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
Does sweet potatoes or basil contain more potassium?
Both sweet potatoes and basil are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 10% more potassium than basil - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.