Basil vs. Cucumber
Nutrition comparison of Basil and Cucumber
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
basil
versus
cucumber
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in basil and cucumber:
- Basil has more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Basil is a great source of Vitamin C and potassium.
- Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium and iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Cucumber (Cucumber, with peel, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Cucumber and basil contain similar amounts of calories - cucumber has 15 calories per 100 grams and basil has 23 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, basil is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to cucumber per calorie. Basil has a macronutrient ratio of 44:37:19 and for cucumber, 16:80:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Basil | Cucumber | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 44% | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 37% | 80% |
| Fat | 19% | 5% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both cucumber and basil are low in carbohydrates - cucumber has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in cucumber are made of 56% sugar, 28% starch and 17% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 84% dietary fiber and 16% sugar.
dietary fiber
Basil has 220% more dietary fiber than cucumber - cucumber has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Cucumber and basil contain similar amounts of sugar - cucumber has 1.7g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Basil has 385% more protein than cucumber - cucumber has 0.65g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both cucumber and basil are low in saturated fat - cucumber 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 543% more Vitamin C than cucumber - cucumber has 2.8mg 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 51 times more Vitamin A than cucumber - cucumber has 5ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Cucumber and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - cucumber has 0.03mg 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 24 times more Vitamin K than cucumber - cucumber has 16.4ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Basil has more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both basil and cucumber contain significant amounts of thiamin and pantothenic acid.
| Basil | Cucumber | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.034 MG | 0.027 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.076 MG | 0.033 MG |
| Niacin | 0.902 MG | 0.098 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.209 MG | 0.259 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.155 MG | 0.04 MG |
| Folate | 68 UG | 7 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Basil is an excellent source of calcium and it has 10 times more calcium than cucumber - cucumber has 16mg of calcium per 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
iron
Basil is an excellent source of iron and it has 10 times more iron than cucumber - cucumber has 0.28mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
potassium
Basil is a great source of potassium and it has 101% more potassium than cucumber - cucumber has 147mg 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 | Cucumber | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3142 UG | 45 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 5650 UG | 23 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 11 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than cucumber per 100 grams.
| Basil | Cucumber | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.316 G | 0.005 G |
| Total | 0.316 G | 0.005 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, basil has more linoleic acid than cucumber per 100 grams.
| Basil | Cucumber | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.073 G | 0.028 G |
| Total | 0.073 G | 0.028 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 Cucumber .
Basil g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Cucumber 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 cucumber or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?Cucumber and basil contain similar amounts of calories - cucumber has 15 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.
Is cucumber or basil better for protein?
Basil has 390% more protein than cucumber - cucumber has 0.65g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Does cucumber or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both cucumber and basil are low in carbohydrates - cucumber has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in cucumber are made of 60% sugar, 30% starch and 20% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.
Does cucumber or basil contain more calcium?
Basil is a rich source of calcium and it has 10 times more calcium than cucumber - cucumber has 16mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
Does cucumber or basil contain more iron?
Basil is an abundant source of iron and it has 10 times more iron than cucumber - cucumber has 0.28mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.