Applesauce vs. Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition comparison of Applesauce and Sweet Potatoes


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

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

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

  • Applesauce has 51% less calories than sweet potato.
  • Sweet potato has 55% less sugar than applesauce.
  • Sweet potato has more thiamin, 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.
Detailed nutritional comparison of applesauce 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: Applesauce (Applesauce, canned, unsweetened, without added ascorbic acid (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Applesauce has 51% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and applesauce has 42 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, applesauce is lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and similar to sweet potatoes for fat. Applesauce has a macronutrient ratio of 2:96:2 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Applesauce Sweet Potatoes
Protein 2% 7%
Carbohydrates 96% 92%
Fat 2% 1%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Applesauce has 44% less carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and applesauce has 11.3g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in sweet potatoes are made of 64% starch, 21% sugar and 15% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in applesauce comprise of 90% sugar and 10% dietary fiber.

dietary fiber

Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 173% more dietary fiber than applesauce - sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and applesauce has 1.1g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Sweet potato has 55% less sugar than applesauce - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and applesauce has 9.4g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Sweet potatoes and applesauce contain similar amounts of protein - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and applesauce has 0.17g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both sweet potatoes and applesauce are low in saturated fat - sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and applesauce has 0.01g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Sweet potatoes and applesauce contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and applesauce has 1mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 708 times more Vitamin A than applesauce - sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and applesauce has 1ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Sweet potatoes and applesauce contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and applesauce has 0.16mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Sweet potatoes and applesauce contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and applesauce has 0.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Applesauce Sweet Potatoes
Thiamin 0.026 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.03 MG 0.061 MG
Niacin 0.084 MG 0.557 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.041 MG 0.8 MG
Vitamin B6 0.027 MG 0.209 MG
Folate 3 UG 11 UG

Minerals

calcium

Sweet potato has 650% more calcium than applesauce - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and applesauce has 4mg of calcium.

iron

Sweet potatoes and applesauce contain similar amounts of iron - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and applesauce has 0.23mg of iron.

potassium

Sweet potato is an excellent source of potassium and it has 355% more potassium than applesauce - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium per 100 grams and applesauce has 74mg 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,

Applesauce Sweet Potatoes
Quercetin 2.0 mg 0.01 mg
apigenin ~ 0.01 mg
luteolin ~ 0.02 mg
kaempferol ~ 0.01 mg
myricetin ~ 0.03 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,

Applesauce Sweet Potatoes
beta-carotene 13 UG 8509 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 18 UG ~
alpha-carotene ~ 7 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Applesauce 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 applesauce and sweet potatoes contain small amounts of linoleic acid.

Applesauce Sweet Potatoes
linoleic acid 0.012 G 0.013 G
Total 0.012 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 Applesauce or Sweet Potatoes .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Applesauce (Applesauce, canned, unsweetened, without added ascorbic acid (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .

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FAQ

Does sweet potatoes or applesauce contain more calories in 100 grams?
Applesauce has 50% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and applesauce has 42 calories.

Does sweet potatoes or applesauce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, applesauce has 40% fewer carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and applesauce has 11.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in sweet potatoes are made of 60% starch, 20% sugar and 20% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in applesauce comprise of 90% sugar and 10% dietary fiber.

Does sweet potatoes or applesauce contain more potassium?
Sweet potato is a rich source of potassium and it has 360% more potassium than applesauce - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and applesauce has 74mg of potassium.