Basil vs. Carrots
Nutrition comparison of Basil and Carrots
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
basil
versus
carrots
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in basil and carrots:
- Both carrots and basil are high in Vitamin A and potassium.
- Basil has 14.8 times less sugar than carrot.
- Basil has 72% less carbohydrates than carrot.
- Basil has more folate.
- Basil is a great source of Vitamin C.
- Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin K, calcium and iron.
- Carrot has more beta-carotene and alpha-carotene than basil, however, basil contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than carrot.
- Carrot is a great source of dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Carrots (Carrots, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Carrots and basil contain similar amounts of calories - carrot has 41 calories per 100 grams and basil has 23 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, basil is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to carrots per calorie. Basil has a macronutrient ratio of 43:32:24 and for carrots, 9:87:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Basil | Carrots | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 43% | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 32% | 87% |
| Fat | 24% | 5% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Basil has 72% less carbohydrates than carrot - carrot has 9.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in carrots are made of 53% sugar, 31% dietary fiber and 16% starch, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 84% dietary fiber and 16% sugar.
dietary fiber
Carrot is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 75% more dietary fiber than basil - carrot has 2.8g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Basil has 14.8 times less sugar than carrot - carrot has 4.7g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Basil has 239% more protein than carrot - carrot has 0.93g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both carrots and basil are low in saturated fat - carrot 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 205% more Vitamin C than carrot - carrot has 5.9mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and basil has 18mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both carrots and basil are high in Vitamin A. Carrot has 216% more Vitamin A than basil - carrot has 835ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Carrots and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - carrot has 0.66mg 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 30 times more Vitamin K than carrot - carrot has 13.2ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Basil has more folate. Both basil and carrots contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Basil | Carrots | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.034 MG | 0.066 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.076 MG | 0.058 MG |
| Niacin | 0.902 MG | 0.983 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.209 MG | 0.273 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.155 MG | 0.138 MG |
| Folate | 68 UG | 19 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Basil is an excellent source of calcium and it has 436% more calcium than carrot - carrot has 33mg of calcium per 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
iron
Basil is an excellent source of iron and it has 957% more iron than carrot - carrot has 0.3mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both carrots and basil are high in potassium. Carrot has a little more potassium (8%) than basil by weight - carrot has 320mg 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, carrot has more beta-carotene and alpha-carotene than basil per 100 grams, however, basil contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than carrot per 100 grams.
| Basil | Carrots | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3142 UG | 8285 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 5650 UG | 256 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 3477 UG |
| lycopene | ~ | 1 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than carrot per 100 grams.
| Basil | Carrots | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.316 G | 0.002 G |
| Total | 0.316 G | 0.002 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both basil and carrots contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Basil | Carrots | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.073 G | 0.1 G |
| Total | 0.073 G | 0.1 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.
Basil g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Carrots g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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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 carrots or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?Carrots and basil contain similar amounts of calories - carrot has 41 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.
Is carrots or basil better for protein?
Basil has 240% more protein than carrot - carrot has 0.93g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Does carrots or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, basil has 70% fewer carbohydrates than carrot - carrot has 9.6g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in carrots are made of 50% sugar, 30% dietary fiber and 20% starch, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.
Does carrots or basil contain more calcium?
Basil is a rich source of calcium and it has 440% more calcium than carrot - carrot has 33mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
Does carrots or basil contain more iron?
Basil is an abundant source of iron and it has 960% more iron than carrot - carrot has 0.3mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
Does carrots or basil contain more potassium?
Both carrots and basil are high in potassium. Carrot has a little more potassium ( 10%) than basil by weight - carrot has 320mg of potassium in 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.