Lima Beans vs. Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition comparison of Lima Beans and Sweet Potatoes


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

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

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in lima beans and sweet potatoes:

  • Both lima beans and sweet potatoes are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Lima bean has more thiamin, niacin and folate, however, sweet potato contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Lima bean is an excellent source of Vitamin C and iron.
  • Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
Detailed nutritional comparison of lima beans 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: Lima Beans (Lima beans, immature seeds, raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Lima Beans src
Image of Sweet Potatoes src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Lima bean is high in calories and sweet potato has 24% less calories than lima bean - lima bean has 113 calories per 100 grams and sweet potato has 86 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, lima beans is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to sweet potatoes per calorie. Lima beans has a macronutrient ratio of 23:70:7 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Lima Beans Sweet Potatoes
Protein 23% 7%
Carbohydrates 70% 92%
Fat 7% 1%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Lima beans and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of carbs - lima bean has 20.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and sweet potato has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both lima beans and sweet potatoes are high in dietary fiber. Lima bean has 63% more dietary fiber than sweet potato - lima bean has 4.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Lima beans and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of sugar - lima bean has 1.5g of sugar per 100 grams and sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Lima bean has 336% more protein than sweet potato - lima bean has 6.8g of protein per 100 grams and sweet potato has 1.6g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both lima beans and sweet potatoes are low in saturated fat - lima bean has 0.2g of saturated fat per 100 grams and sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Lima bean is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 875% more Vitamin C than sweet potato - lima bean has 23.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 69 times more Vitamin A than lima bean - lima bean has 10ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Lima beans and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - lima bean has 0.32mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Lima beans and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - lima bean has 5.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Lima bean has more thiamin, niacin and folate, however, sweet potato contains more pantothenic acid. Both lima beans and sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of riboflavin and Vitamin B6.

Lima Beans Sweet Potatoes
Thiamin 0.217 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.103 MG 0.061 MG
Niacin 1.474 MG 0.557 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.247 MG 0.8 MG
Vitamin B6 0.204 MG 0.209 MG
Folate 34 UG 11 UG

Minerals

calcium

Lima beans and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of calcium - lima bean has 34mg of calcium per 100 grams and sweet potato has 30mg of calcium.

iron

Lima bean is an excellent source of iron and it has 415% more iron than sweet potato - lima bean has 3.1mg of iron per 100 grams and sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron.

potassium

Both lima beans and sweet potatoes are high in potassium. Lima bean has 39% more potassium than sweet potato - lima bean has 467mg of potassium per 100 grams and sweet potato has 337mg 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,

Lima Beans Sweet Potatoes
beta-carotene 126 UG 8509 UG
alpha-carotene ~ 7 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, lima bean has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than sweet potato per 100 grams.

Lima Beans Sweet Potatoes
alpha linoleic acid 0.136 G 0.001 G
Total 0.136 G 0.001 G

omega 6s

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

Lima Beans Sweet Potatoes
linoleic acid 0.283 G 0.013 G
Total 0.283 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 Lima Beans or Sweet Potatoes .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Lima Beans (Lima beans, immature seeds, raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .

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FAQ

Does lima beans or sweet potatoes contain more calories in 100 grams?
Lima bean is high in calories and sweet potato has 20% less calories than lima bean - lima bean has 113 calories in 100g and sweet potato has 86 calories.

Does lima beans or sweet potatoes have more carbohydrates?
By weight, lima beans and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of carbs - lima bean has 20.2g of carbs for 100g and sweet potato has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

Does lima beans or sweet potatoes contain more iron?
Lima bean is an abundant source of iron and it has 420% more iron than sweet potato - lima bean has 3.1mg of iron in 100 grams and sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron.

Does lima beans or sweet potatoes contain more potassium?
Both lima beans and sweet potatoes are high in potassium. Lima bean has 40% more potassium than sweet potato - lima bean has 467mg of potassium in 100 grams and sweet potato has 337mg of potassium.