Carrots vs. Sweet Potatoes
Nutrition comparison of Carrots and Sweet Potatoes
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
carrots
versus
sweet potatoes
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in carrots and sweet potatoes:
- Both sweet potatoes and carrots are high in Vitamin A, dietary fiber and potassium.
- Carrot has 52% less calories than sweet potato.
- Carrot has 52% less carbohydrates than sweet potato.
- Sweet potato has more pantothenic acid.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Carrots (Carrots, raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Carrot has 52% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and carrot has 41 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, carrots is lighter in carbs, heavier in fat and similar to sweet potatoes for protein. Carrots has a macronutrient ratio of 9:87:5 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Carrots | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 9% | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 87% | 92% |
| Fat | 5% | 1% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Carrot has 52% less carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and carrot has 9.6g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in sweet potatoes are made of 64% starch, 21% sugar and 15% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in carrots comprise of 53% sugar, 31% dietary fiber and 16% starch.
dietary fiber
Both sweet potatoes and carrots are high in dietary fiber. Sweet potato has a little more dietary fiber (7%) than carrot by weight - sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and carrot has 2.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Sweet potatoes and carrots contain similar amounts of sugar - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and carrot has 4.7g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Sweet potatoes and carrots contain similar amounts of protein - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and carrot has 0.93g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both sweet potatoes and carrots are low in saturated fat - sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and carrot has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Carrot has 146% more Vitamin C than sweet potato - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and carrot has 5.9mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both sweet potatoes and carrots are high in Vitamin A. Carrot has 18% more Vitamin A than sweet potato - sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and carrot has 835ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Sweet potatoes and carrots contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and carrot has 0.66mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Sweet potatoes and carrots contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and carrot has 13.2ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Sweet potato has more pantothenic acid. Both carrots and sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Carrots | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.066 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.058 MG | 0.061 MG |
| Niacin | 0.983 MG | 0.557 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.273 MG | 0.8 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.138 MG | 0.209 MG |
| Folate | 19 UG | 11 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Sweet potatoes and carrots contain similar amounts of calcium - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and carrot has 33mg of calcium.
iron
Sweet potatoes and carrots contain similar amounts of iron - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and carrot has 0.3mg of iron.
potassium
Both sweet potatoes and carrots are high in potassium. Sweet potato has a little more potassium (5%) than carrot by weight - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium per 100 grams and carrot has 320mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
flavonoids
Naturally occuring in fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are associated with many health benefits and used in a variety of medicinal and pharmaceutical applications. [2][3]
For specific flavonoid compounds, both carrots and sweet potatoes contain small amounts of luteolin and myricetin.
| Carrots | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.11 mg | 0.02 mg |
| kaempferol | 0.24 mg | 0.01 mg |
| myricetin | 0.04 mg | 0.03 mg |
| Quercetin | 0.21 mg | 0.01 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.01 mg |
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 carrots and sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Carrots | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 8285 UG | 8509 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 3477 UG | 7 UG |
| lycopene | 1 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 256 UG | ~ |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both carrots and sweet potatoes contain small amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Carrots | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.002 G | 0.001 G |
| Total | 0.002 G | 0.001 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, carrot has more linoleic acid than sweet potato per 100 grams.
| Carrots | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.1 G | 0.013 G |
| Total | 0.1 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: Carrots (Carrots, raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .
Carrots 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 carrots contain more calories in 100 grams?Carrot has 50% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and carrot has 41 calories.
Does sweet potatoes or carrots have more carbohydrates?
By weight, carrot has 50% fewer carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and carrot has 9.6g of carbohydrates. the carbs in sweet potatoes are made of 60% starch, 20% sugar and 20% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in carrots comprise of 50% sugar, 30% dietary fiber and 20% starch.
Does sweet potatoes or carrots contain more potassium?
Both sweet potatoes and carrots are high in potassium. Sweet potato has a little more potassium ( 10%) than carrot by weight - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and carrot has 320mg of potassium.