Spirulina vs. Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition comparison of Spirulina and Sweet Potatoes


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

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

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

  • Both sweet potatoes and spirulina are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
  • Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
  • Spirulina is an excellent source of calcium, iron and protein.
  • Sweet potato has 146.2 times less saturated fat than spirulina.
  • Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
Detailed nutritional comparison of spirulina 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: Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Spirulina src
Image of Sweet Potatoes src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Spirulina is high in calories and sweet potato has 70% less calories than spirulina - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and spirulina has 290 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, spirulina is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to sweet potatoes per calorie. Spirulina has a macronutrient ratio of 58:24:18 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Spirulina Sweet Potatoes
Protein 58% 7%
Carbohydrates 24% 92%
Fat 18% 1%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Sweet potatoes and spirulina contain similar amounts of carbs - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and spirulina has 23.9g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both sweet potatoes and spirulina are high in dietary fiber. Spirulina has 20% more dietary fiber than sweet potato - sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and spirulina has 3.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Sweet potatoes and spirulina contain similar amounts of sugar - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and spirulina has 3.1g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spirulina is an excellent source of protein and it has 35 times more protein than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and spirulina has 57.5g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Sweet potato has 146.2 times less saturated fat than spirulina - sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and spirulina has 2.7g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Spirulina has 321% more Vitamin C than sweet potato - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and spirulina has 10.1mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 23 times more Vitamin A than spirulina - sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and spirulina has 29ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Spirulina has 18 times more Vitamin E than sweet potato - sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and spirulina has 5mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Spirulina has 13 times more Vitamin K than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and spirulina has 25.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Spirulina Sweet Potatoes
Thiamin 2.38 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 3.67 MG 0.061 MG
Niacin 12.82 MG 0.557 MG
Pantothenic acid 3.48 MG 0.8 MG
Vitamin B6 0.364 MG 0.209 MG
Folate 94 UG 11 UG

Minerals

calcium

Spirulina is an excellent source of calcium and it has 300% more calcium than sweet potato - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and spirulina has 120mg of calcium.

iron

Spirulina is an excellent source of iron and it has 45 times more iron than sweet potato - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and spirulina has 28.5mg of iron.

potassium

Both sweet potatoes and spirulina are high in potassium. Spirulina has 304% more potassium than sweet potato - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium per 100 grams and spirulina has 1363mg 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,

Spirulina Sweet Potatoes
beta-carotene 342 UG 8509 UG
alpha-carotene ~ 7 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Spirulina Sweet Potatoes
alpha linoleic acid 0.823 G 0.001 G
Total 0.823 G 0.001 G

omega 6s

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

Spirulina Sweet Potatoes
linoleic acid 1.254 G 0.013 G
Total 1.254 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 Spirulina or Sweet Potatoes .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .

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FAQ

Does sweet potatoes or spirulina contain more calories in 100 grams?
Spirulina is high in calories and sweet potato has 70% less calories than spirulina - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and spirulina has 290 calories.

Is sweet potatoes or spirulina better for protein?
Spirulina is a fantastic source of protein and it has 35 times more protein than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and spirulina has 57.5g of protein.

Does sweet potatoes or spirulina have more carbohydrates?
By weight, sweet potatoes and spirulina contain similar amounts of carbs - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and spirulina has 23.9g of carbohydrates.

Does sweet potatoes or spirulina contain more calcium?
Spirulina is a rich source of calcium and it has 300% more calcium than sweet potato - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium in 100 grams and spirulina has 120mg of calcium.

Does sweet potatoes or spirulina contain more iron?
Spirulina is an abundant source of iron and it has 45 times more iron than sweet potato - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron in 100 grams and spirulina has 28.5mg of iron.

Does sweet potatoes or spirulina contain more potassium?
Both sweet potatoes and spirulina are high in potassium. Spirulina has 300% more potassium than sweet potato - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and spirulina has 1363mg of potassium.