Basil vs. Asparagus
Nutrition comparison of Basil and Asparagus
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
basil
versus
asparagus
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in basil and asparagus:
- Both asparagus and basil are high in iron and potassium.
- Asparagus has more thiamin.
- Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Basil is a great source of Vitamin C.
- Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K and calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Asparagus (Asparagus, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories per 100 grams and basil has 23 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, basil is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to asparagus per calorie. Basil has a macronutrient ratio of 44:37:19 and for asparagus, 35:62:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Basil | Asparagus | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 44% | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 37% | 62% |
| Fat | 19% | 4% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both asparagus and basil are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in asparagus are made of 53% dietary fiber and 47% sugar, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 84% dietary fiber and 16% sugar.
dietary fiber
Asparagus is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 31% more dietary fiber than basil - asparagus has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of sugar - asparagus has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both asparagus and basil are low in saturated fat - asparagus has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and basil has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Basil is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 221% more Vitamin C than asparagus - asparagus has 5.6mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and basil has 18mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 595% more Vitamin A than asparagus - asparagus has 38ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - asparagus has 1.1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and basil has 0.8mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 897% more Vitamin K than asparagus - asparagus has 41.6ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Asparagus has more thiamin. Both basil and asparagus contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Basil | Asparagus | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.034 MG | 0.143 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.076 MG | 0.141 MG |
| Niacin | 0.902 MG | 0.978 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.209 MG | 0.274 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.155 MG | 0.091 MG |
| Folate | 68 UG | 52 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Basil is an excellent source of calcium and it has 638% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium per 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
iron
Both asparagus and basil are high in iron. Basil has 48% more iron than asparagus - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both asparagus and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 46% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium per 100 grams and basil has 295mg 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,
| Basil | Asparagus | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3142 UG | 449 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 5650 UG | 710 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 9 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than asparagus per 100 grams.
| Basil | Asparagus | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.316 G | 0.01 G |
| Total | 0.316 G | 0.01 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both basil and asparagus contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Basil | Asparagus | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.073 G | 0.04 G |
| Total | 0.073 G | 0.04 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 Basil or Asparagus .
Basil g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Asparagus g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does asparagus or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of calories - asparagus has 20 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.
Is asparagus or basil better for protein?
Asparagus and basil contain similar amounts of protein - asparagus has 2.2g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Does asparagus or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both asparagus and basil are low in carbohydrates - asparagus has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in asparagus are made of 50% dietary fiber and 50% sugar, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.
Does asparagus or basil contain more calcium?
Basil is a rich source of calcium and it has 640% more calcium than asparagus - asparagus has 24mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
Does asparagus or basil contain more iron?
Both asparagus and basil are high in iron. Basil has 50% more iron than asparagus - asparagus has 2.1mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
Does asparagus or basil contain more potassium?
Both asparagus and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 50% more potassium than asparagus - asparagus has 202mg of potassium in 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.