Canned Tuna vs. Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition comparison of Canned Tuna and Sweet Potatoes


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

We compared the nutritional contents of canned tuna versus sweet potatoes (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in canned tuna and sweet potatoes:

  • Both sweet potatoes and canned tuna are high in potassium.
  • Canned tuna is an excellent source of protein.
  • Sweet potato has more thiamin, pantothenic acid and folate, however, canned tuna contains more niacin and Vitamin B12.
  • Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber.
  • Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
Detailed nutritional comparison of canned tuna and sweet potatoes 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: Canned Tuna (Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, without salt, drained solids) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Canned Tuna src
Image of Sweet Potatoes src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Canned tuna is high in calories and sweet potato has 33% less calories than canned tuna - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and canned tuna has 128 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, canned tuna is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to sweet potatoes per calorie. Canned tuna has a macronutrient ratio of 78:0:22 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Canned Tuna Sweet Potatoes
Protein 78% 7%
Carbohydrates ~ 92%
Fat 22% 1%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Canned tuna has less carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

dietary fiber

Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than canned tuna - sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

sugar

Canned tuna has less sugar than sweet potato - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Canned tuna is an excellent source of protein and it has 14 times more protein than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and canned tuna has 23.6g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both sweet potatoes and canned tuna are low in saturated fat - sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and canned tuna has 0.79g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Sweet potato has less cholesterol than canned tuna - canned tuna has 42mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and sweet potato does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Sweet potato has more Vitamin C than canned tuna - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 117 times more Vitamin A than canned tuna - sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and canned tuna has 6ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Sweet potatoes and canned tuna contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin K

Sweet potatoes and canned tuna contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Sweet potato has more thiamin, pantothenic acid and folate, however, canned tuna contains more niacin and Vitamin B12. Both canned tuna and sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of riboflavin and Vitamin B6.

Canned Tuna Sweet Potatoes
Thiamin 0.008 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.044 MG 0.061 MG
Niacin 5.799 MG 0.557 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.124 MG 0.8 MG
Vitamin B6 0.217 MG 0.209 MG
Folate 2 UG 11 UG
Vitamin B12 1.17 UG ~

Minerals

calcium

Sweet potato has 114% more calcium than canned tuna - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and canned tuna has 14mg of calcium.

iron

Sweet potatoes and canned tuna contain similar amounts of iron - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and canned tuna has 0.97mg of iron.

potassium

Both sweet potatoes and canned tuna are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 42% more potassium than canned tuna - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium per 100 grams and canned tuna has 237mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, canned tuna has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA), DHA, EPA and DPA than sweet potato per 100 grams.

Canned Tuna Sweet Potatoes
alpha linoleic acid 0.071 G 0.001 G
DHA 0.629 G ~
EPA 0.233 G ~
DPA 0.018 G ~
Total 0.951 G 0.001 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, canned tuna has more linoleic acid than sweet potato per 100 grams.

Canned Tuna Sweet Potatoes
linoleic acid 0.055 G 0.013 G
other omega 6 0.051 G ~
Total 0.106 G 0.013 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 Canned Tuna or Sweet Potatoes .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Canned Tuna (Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, without salt, drained solids) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .

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FAQ

Does sweet potatoes or canned tuna contain more calories in 100 grams?
Canned tuna is high in calories and sweet potato has 30% less calories than canned tuna - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and canned tuna has 128 calories.

Is sweet potatoes or canned tuna better for protein?
Canned tuna is a fantastic source of protein and it has 14 times more protein than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and canned tuna has 23.6g of protein.

Does sweet potatoes or canned tuna have more carbohydrates?
By weight, canned tuna has fewer carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and canned tuna has no carbs..

Does sweet potatoes or canned tuna contain more potassium?
Both sweet potatoes and canned tuna are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 40% more potassium than canned tuna - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and canned tuna has 237mg of potassium.