Basil vs. Red Bell Pepper
Nutrition comparison of Basil and Red Bell Pepper
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
basil
versus
red bell pepper
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in basil and red bell pepper:
- Both red bell pepper and basil are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and potassium.
- Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin K, calcium and iron.
- Red bell pepper is a great source of dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Red Bell Pepper (Peppers, sweet, red, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Red bell pepper and basil contain similar amounts of calories - red bell pepper has 26 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 red bell pepper per calorie. Basil has a macronutrient ratio of 44:37:19 and for red bell pepper, 13:78:9 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Basil | Red Bell Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 44% | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 37% | 78% |
| Fat | 19% | 9% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Red bell pepper and basil contain similar amounts of carbs - red bell pepper has 6g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in red bell pepper are made of 67% sugar and 33% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 84% dietary fiber and 16% sugar.
dietary fiber
Red bell pepper is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 31% more dietary fiber than basil - red bell pepper has 2.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Red bell pepper and basil contain similar amounts of sugar - red bell pepper has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Basil has 218% more protein than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 0.99g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both red bell pepper and basil are low in saturated fat - red bell pepper has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and basil has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both red bell pepper and basil are high in Vitamin C. Red bell pepper has 609% more Vitamin C than basil - red bell pepper has 127.7mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and basil has 18mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both red bell pepper and basil are high in Vitamin A. Basil has 68% more Vitamin A than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 157ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Red bell pepper and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - red bell pepper has 1.6mg 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 83 times more Vitamin K than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 4.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Both basil and red bell pepper contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
| Basil | Red Bell Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.034 MG | 0.054 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.076 MG | 0.085 MG |
| Niacin | 0.902 MG | 0.979 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.209 MG | 0.317 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.155 MG | 0.291 MG |
| Folate | 68 UG | 46 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Basil is an excellent source of calcium and it has 24 times more calcium than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 7mg of calcium per 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
iron
Basil is an excellent source of iron and it has 637% more iron than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 0.43mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both red bell pepper and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 40% more potassium than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 211mg 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, both basil and red bell pepper contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Basil | Red Bell Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3142 UG | 1624 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 5650 UG | 51 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 20 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than red bell pepper per 100 grams.
| Basil | Red Bell Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.316 G | 0.056 G |
| Total | 0.316 G | 0.056 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both basil and red bell pepper contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Basil | Red Bell Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.073 G | 0.1 G |
| Total | 0.073 G | 0.1 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 Red Bell Pepper .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Red Bell Pepper (Peppers, sweet, red, raw) .
Basil g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Red Bell Pepper g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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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 red bell pepper or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?Red bell pepper and basil contain similar amounts of calories - red bell pepper has 26 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.
Is red bell pepper or basil better for protein?
Basil has 220% more protein than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 0.99g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Does red bell pepper or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, red bell pepper and basil contain similar amounts of carbs - red bell pepper has 6g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in red bell pepper are made of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.
Does red bell pepper or basil contain more calcium?
Basil is a rich source of calcium and it has 24 times more calcium than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 7mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
Does red bell pepper or basil contain more iron?
Basil is an abundant source of iron and it has 640% more iron than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 0.43mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
Does red bell pepper or basil contain more potassium?
Both red bell pepper and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 40% more potassium than red bell pepper - red bell pepper has 211mg of potassium in 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.