Banana vs. Basil
Nutrition comparison of Banana and Basil
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
banana
versus
basil
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in banana and basil:
- Both basil and banana are high in potassium.
- Banana has more Vitamin B6, however, basil contains more folate.
- Banana is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Basil has 39.7 times less sugar than banana.
- Basil has 7.6 times less carbohydrates than banana.
- Basil has 74% less calories than banana.
- Basil has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than banana, however, banana contains more alpha-carotene than basil.
- Basil is a great source of Vitamin C.
- Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium and iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Banana (Bananas, raw) and Basil (Basil, fresh) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Basil has 74% less calories than banana - basil has 23 calories per 100 grams and banana has 89 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, banana is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to basil per calorie. Banana has a macronutrient ratio of 5:93:3 and for basil, 43:32:24 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Banana | Basil | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 5% | 43% |
| Carbohydrates | 93% | 32% |
| Fat | 3% | 24% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Basil has 7.6 times less carbohydrates than banana - basil has 2.7g of total carbs per 100 grams and banana has 22.8g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Banana is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 63% more dietary fiber than basil - basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and banana has 2.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Basil has 39.7 times less sugar than banana - basil has 0.3g of sugar per 100 grams and banana has 12.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Basil has 189% more protein than banana - basil has 3.2g of protein per 100 grams and banana has 1.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both basil and banana are low in saturated fat - basil has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and banana has 0.11g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Basil is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 107% more Vitamin C than banana - basil has 18mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and banana has 8.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 87 times more Vitamin A than banana - basil has 264ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and banana has 3ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Basil and banana contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - basil has 0.8mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and banana has 0.1mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 828 times more Vitamin K than banana - basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and banana has 0.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Banana has more Vitamin B6, however, basil contains more folate. Both banana and basil contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
| Banana | Basil | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.031 MG | 0.034 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.073 MG | 0.076 MG |
| Niacin | 0.665 MG | 0.902 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.334 MG | 0.209 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.367 MG | 0.155 MG |
| Folate | 20 UG | 68 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Basil is an excellent source of calcium and it has 34 times more calcium than banana - basil has 177mg of calcium per 100 grams and banana has 5mg of calcium.
iron
Basil is an excellent source of iron and it has 11 times more iron than banana - basil has 3.2mg of iron per 100 grams and banana has 0.26mg of iron.
potassium
Both basil and banana are high in potassium. Banana has 21% more potassium than basil - basil has 295mg of potassium per 100 grams and banana has 358mg 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 has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than banana per 100 grams, however, banana contains more alpha-carotene than basil per 100 grams.
| Banana | Basil | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 26 UG | 3142 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 25 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 22 UG | 5650 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than banana per 100 grams.
| Banana | Basil | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.027 G | 0.316 G |
| Total | 0.027 G | 0.316 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both banana and basil contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Banana | Basil | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.046 G | 0.073 G |
| Total | 0.046 G | 0.073 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Banana g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Basil 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 basil or banana contain more calories in 100 grams?Basil has 70% less calories than banana - basil has 23 calories in 100g and banana has 89 calories.
Is basil or banana better for protein?
Basil has 190% more protein than banana - basil has 3.2g of protein per 100 grams and banana has 1.1g of protein.
Does basil or banana have more carbohydrates?
By weight, basil has 7.6 times fewer carbohydrates than banana - basil has 2.7g of carbs for 100g and banana has 22.8g of carbohydrates.
Does basil or banana contain more calcium?
Basil is a rich source of calcium and it has 34 times more calcium than banana - basil has 177mg of calcium in 100 grams and banana has 5mg of calcium.
Does basil or banana contain more iron?
Basil is an abundant source of iron and it has 11 times more iron than banana - basil has 3.2mg of iron in 100 grams and banana has 0.26mg of iron.
Does basil or banana contain more potassium?
Both basil and banana are high in potassium. Banana has 20% more potassium than basil - basil has 295mg of potassium in 100 grams and banana has 358mg of potassium.