Parsnip vs. Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition comparison of Parsnip and Sweet Potatoes


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

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

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

  • Both sweet potatoes and parsnip are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Parsnip is a great source of Vitamin C.
  • Sweet potato has more Vitamin B6, however, parsnip contains more folate.
  • Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
Detailed nutritional comparison of parsnip 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: Parsnip (Parsnips, raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Parsnip src
Image of Sweet Potatoes src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Sweet potatoes and parsnip contain similar amounts of calories - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and parsnip has 75 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, parsnip is similar to sweet potatoes for protein, carbs and fat. Parsnip has a macronutrient ratio of 6:91:3 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Parsnip Sweet Potatoes
Protein 6% 7%
Carbohydrates 91% 92%
Fat 3% 1%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Sweet potatoes and parsnip contain similar amounts of carbs - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and parsnip has 18g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

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

sugar

Sweet potatoes and parsnip contain similar amounts of sugar - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and parsnip has 4.8g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Sweet potatoes and parsnip contain similar amounts of protein - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and parsnip has 1.2g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both sweet potatoes and parsnip are low in saturated fat - sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and parsnip has 0.05g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Parsnip is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 608% more Vitamin C than sweet potato - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and parsnip has 17mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than parsnip - sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and parsnip does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Sweet potatoes and parsnip contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and parsnip has 1.5mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Parsnip has 11 times more Vitamin K than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and parsnip has 22.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Parsnip Sweet Potatoes
Thiamin 0.09 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.05 MG 0.061 MG
Niacin 0.7 MG 0.557 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.6 MG 0.8 MG
Vitamin B6 0.09 MG 0.209 MG
Folate 67 UG 11 UG

Minerals

calcium

Sweet potatoes and parsnip contain similar amounts of calcium - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and parsnip has 36mg of calcium.

iron

Sweet potatoes and parsnip contain similar amounts of iron - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and parsnip has 0.59mg of iron.

potassium

Both sweet potatoes and parsnip are high in potassium. Sweet potato is very similar to sweet potato for potassium - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium per 100 grams and parsnip has 375mg 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,

Parsnip Sweet Potatoes
Quercetin 0.99 mg 0.01 mg
apigenin ~ 0.01 mg
luteolin ~ 0.02 mg
kaempferol ~ 0.01 mg
myricetin ~ 0.03 mg

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, both parsnip and sweet potatoes contain small amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Parsnip Sweet Potatoes
alpha linoleic acid 0.003 G 0.001 G
Total 0.003 G 0.001 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both parsnip and sweet potatoes contain small amounts of linoleic acid.

Parsnip Sweet Potatoes
linoleic acid 0.041 G 0.013 G
Total 0.041 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 Parsnip or Sweet Potatoes .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Parsnip (Parsnips, raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .

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FAQ

Does sweet potatoes or parsnip contain more calories in 100 grams?
Sweet potatoes and parsnip contain similar amounts of calories - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and parsnip has 75 calories.

Does sweet potatoes or parsnip have more carbohydrates?
By weight, sweet potatoes and parsnip contain similar amounts of carbs - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and parsnip has 18g of carbohydrates.

Does sweet potatoes or parsnip contain more potassium?
Both sweet potatoes and parsnip are high in potassium. Sweet potato is very similar to sweet potato for potassium - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and parsnip has 375mg of potassium.