Leeks vs. Sweet Potatoes
Nutrition comparison of Leeks and Sweet Potatoes
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
leeks
versus
sweet potatoes
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in leeks and sweet potatoes:
- Leek has signficantly more Vitamin C than sweet potato.
- Leek is a great source of calcium and iron.
- Sweet potato has more beta-carotene than leek, however, leek contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than sweet potato.
- Sweet potato has more pantothenic acid, however, leek contains more folate.
- Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Leek has 29% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and leek has 61 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, leeks is lighter in carbs, heavier in fat and similar to sweet potatoes for protein. Leeks has a macronutrient ratio of 9:86:5 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Leeks | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 9% | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 86% | 92% |
| Fat | 5% | 1% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Sweet potatoes and leeks contain similar amounts of carbs - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and leek has 14.2g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 67% more dietary fiber than leek - sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and leek has 1.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Sweet potatoes and leeks contain similar amounts of sugar - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and leek has 3.9g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Sweet potatoes and leeks contain similar amounts of protein - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and leek has 1.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both sweet potatoes and leeks are low in saturated fat - sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and leek has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Leek has signficantly more Vitamin C than sweet potato - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and leek has 12mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 754% more Vitamin A than leek - sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and leek has 83ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Sweet potatoes and leeks contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and leek has 0.92mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Leek has 25 times more Vitamin K than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and leek has 47ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Sweet potato has more pantothenic acid, however, leek contains more folate. Both leeks and sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B6.
| Leeks | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.06 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.03 MG | 0.061 MG |
| Niacin | 0.4 MG | 0.557 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.14 MG | 0.8 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.233 MG | 0.209 MG |
| Folate | 64 UG | 11 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Leek is a great source of calcium and it has 97% more calcium than sweet potato - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and leek has 59mg of calcium.
iron
Leek is a great source of iron and it has 244% more iron than sweet potato - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and leek has 2.1mg of iron.
potassium
Sweet potato is an excellent source of potassium and it has 87% more potassium than leek - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium per 100 grams and leek has 180mg 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 leeks and sweet potatoes contain small amounts of quercetin.
| Leeks | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| kaempferol | 2.67 mg | 0.01 mg |
| myricetin | 0.22 mg | 0.03 mg |
| Quercetin | 0.09 mg | 0.01 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.01 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.02 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, sweet potato has more beta-carotene than leek per 100 grams, however, leek contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than sweet potato per 100 grams.
| Leeks | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 1000 UG | 8509 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1900 UG | ~ |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 7 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, leek has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than sweet potato per 100 grams.
| Leeks | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.099 G | 0.001 G |
| Total | 0.099 G | 0.001 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, leek has more linoleic acid than sweet potato per 100 grams.
| Leeks | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.067 G | 0.013 G |
| Total | 0.067 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: Leeks (Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .
Leeks 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 leeks contain more calories in 100 grams?Leek has 30% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and leek has 61 calories.
Does sweet potatoes or leeks have more carbohydrates?
By weight, sweet potatoes and leeks contain similar amounts of carbs - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and leek has 14.2g of carbohydrates.
Does sweet potatoes or leeks contain more potassium?
Sweet potato is a rich source of potassium and it has 90% more potassium than leek - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and leek has 180mg of potassium.