Pasta vs. Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition comparison of Pasta and Sweet Potatoes


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

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

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

  • Both sweet potatoes and pasta are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Pasta has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate.
  • Pasta is an excellent source of iron and protein.
  • Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
Detailed nutritional comparison of pasta 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: Pasta (Pasta, dry, enriched) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Pasta src
Image of Sweet Potatoes src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Pasta is high in calories and sweet potato has 77% less calories than pasta - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and pasta has 371 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, pasta is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and similar to sweet potatoes for fat. Pasta has a macronutrient ratio of 14:82:4 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Pasta Sweet Potatoes
Protein 14% 7%
Carbohydrates 82% 92%
Fat 4% 1%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Pasta is high in carbohydrates and sweet potato has 73% less carbohydrates than pasta - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and pasta has 74.7g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both sweet potatoes and pasta are high in dietary fiber. Sweet potato is very similar to sweet potato for dietary fiber - sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and pasta has 3.2g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Sweet potatoes and pasta contain similar amounts of sugar - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and pasta has 2.7g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Pasta is an excellent source of protein and it has 731% more protein than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and pasta has 13g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both sweet potatoes and pasta are low in saturated fat - sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and pasta has 0.28g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Sweet potato has more Vitamin C than pasta - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and pasta does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

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

Vitamin E

Sweet potatoes and pasta contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and pasta has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Sweet potatoes and pasta contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and pasta has 0.1ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Pasta has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate. Both pasta and sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.

Pasta Sweet Potatoes
Thiamin 0.891 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.4 MG 0.061 MG
Niacin 7.177 MG 0.557 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.431 MG 0.8 MG
Vitamin B6 0.142 MG 0.209 MG
Folate 237 UG 11 UG

Minerals

calcium

Sweet potato has 43% more calcium than pasta - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and pasta has 21mg of calcium.

iron

Pasta is an excellent source of iron and it has 441% more iron than sweet potato - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and pasta has 3.3mg of iron.

potassium

Both sweet potatoes and pasta are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 51% more potassium than pasta - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium per 100 grams and pasta has 223mg 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,

Pasta Sweet Potatoes
lutein + zeaxanthin 18 UG ~
beta-carotene ~ 8509 UG
alpha-carotene ~ 7 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Pasta Sweet Potatoes
alpha linoleic acid 0.024 G 0.001 G
Total 0.024 G 0.001 G

omega 6s

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

Pasta Sweet Potatoes
linoleic acid 0.54 G 0.013 G
Total 0.54 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 Pasta or Sweet Potatoes .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Pasta (Pasta, dry, enriched) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .

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FAQ

Does sweet potatoes or pasta contain more calories in 100 grams?
Pasta is high in calories and sweet potato has 80% less calories than pasta - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and pasta has 371 calories.

Does sweet potatoes or pasta have more carbohydrates?
By weight, pasta is high in carbohydrates and sweet potato has 70% fewer carbohydrates than pasta - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and pasta has 74.7g of carbohydrates.

Does sweet potatoes or pasta contain more iron?
Pasta is an abundant source of iron and it has 440% more iron than sweet potato - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron in 100 grams and pasta has 3.3mg of iron.

Does sweet potatoes or pasta contain more potassium?
Both sweet potatoes and pasta are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 50% more potassium than pasta - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and pasta has 223mg of potassium.