Watermelon vs. Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition comparison of Watermelon and Sweet Potatoes


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

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

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

  • Sweet potato has more beta-carotene than watermelon, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than sweet potato.
  • Sweet potato has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
  • Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber.
  • Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and potassium.
  • Watermelon has 62% less carbohydrates than sweet potato.
  • Watermelon has 65% less calories than sweet potato.
Detailed nutritional comparison of watermelon 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: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Watermelon src
Image of Sweet Potatoes src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Watermelon has 65% less calories than sweet potato - watermelon has 30 calories per 100 grams and sweet potato has 86 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, watermelon is lighter in carbs, heavier in fat and similar to sweet potatoes for protein. Watermelon has a macronutrient ratio of 7:88:5 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Watermelon Sweet Potatoes
Protein 7% 7%
Carbohydrates 88% 92%
Fat 5% 1%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Watermelon has 62% less carbohydrates than sweet potato - watermelon has 7.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and sweet potato has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in watermelon are made of 94% sugar and 6% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in sweet potatoes comprise of 64% starch, 21% sugar and 15% dietary fiber.

dietary fiber

Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 650% more dietary fiber than watermelon - watermelon has 0.4g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Watermelon and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of sugar - watermelon has 6.2g of sugar per 100 grams and sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Watermelon and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of protein - watermelon has 0.61g of protein per 100 grams and sweet potato has 1.6g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

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

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Watermelon has 238% more Vitamin C than sweet potato - watermelon has 8.1mg 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 24 times more Vitamin A than watermelon - watermelon has 28ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Watermelon and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watermelon has 0.05mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

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

The B Vitamins

Sweet potato has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.

Watermelon Sweet Potatoes
Thiamin 0.033 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.021 MG 0.061 MG
Niacin 0.178 MG 0.557 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.221 MG 0.8 MG
Vitamin B6 0.045 MG 0.209 MG
Folate 3 UG 11 UG

Minerals

calcium

Sweet potato has 329% more calcium than watermelon - watermelon has 7mg of calcium per 100 grams and sweet potato has 30mg of calcium.

iron

Watermelon and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of iron - watermelon has 0.24mg of iron per 100 grams and sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron.

potassium

Sweet potato is an excellent source of potassium and it has 201% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium per 100 grams and sweet potato has 337mg 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,

Watermelon Sweet Potatoes
luteolin 0.46 mg 0.02 mg
kaempferol 0.45 mg 0.01 mg
apigenin ~ 0.01 mg
myricetin ~ 0.03 mg
Quercetin ~ 0.01 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 watermelon per 100 grams, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than sweet potato per 100 grams.

Watermelon Sweet Potatoes
beta-carotene 303 UG 8509 UG
lycopene 4532 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 8 UG ~
alpha-carotene ~ 7 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 6s

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

Watermelon Sweet Potatoes
linoleic acid 0.05 G 0.013 G
Total 0.05 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 Watermelon or Sweet Potatoes .

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

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FAQ

Does watermelon or sweet potatoes contain more calories in 100 grams?
Watermelon has 70% less calories than sweet potato - watermelon has 30 calories in 100g and sweet potato has 86 calories.

Does watermelon or sweet potatoes have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watermelon has 60% fewer carbohydrates than sweet potato - watermelon has 7.6g of carbs for 100g and sweet potato has 20.1g of carbohydrates. the carbs in watermelon are made of 90% sugar and 10% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in sweet potatoes comprise of 60% starch, 20% sugar and 20% dietary fiber.

Does watermelon or sweet potatoes contain more potassium?
Sweet potato is a rich source of potassium and it has 200% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium in 100 grams and sweet potato has 337mg of potassium.