Basil vs. Tomato
Nutrition comparison of Basil and Tomato
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
basil
versus
tomato
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in basil and tomato:
- Both tomato and basil are high in Vitamin C and potassium.
- Basil has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than tomato, however, tomato contains more alpha-carotene and lycopene than basil.
- Basil has more riboflavin and folate.
- Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium and iron.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Tomato (Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Tomato and basil contain similar amounts of calories - tomato has 18 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 tomato per calorie. Basil has a macronutrient ratio of 43:32:24 and for tomato, 17:75:9 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Basil | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 43% | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 32% | 75% |
| Fat | 24% | 9% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both tomato and basil are low in carbohydrates - tomato has 3.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in tomato are made of 69% sugar and 31% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 84% dietary fiber and 16% sugar.
dietary fiber
Basil has 33% more dietary fiber than tomato - tomato has 1.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Tomato and basil contain similar amounts of sugar - tomato has 2.6g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Basil has 258% more protein than tomato - tomato has 0.88g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both tomato and basil are low in saturated fat - tomato has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and basil has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both tomato and basil are high in Vitamin C. Basil has 31% more Vitamin C than tomato - tomato has 13.7mg 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 529% more Vitamin A than tomato - tomato has 42ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Tomato and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - tomato has 0.54mg 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 51 times more Vitamin K than tomato - tomato has 7.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Basil has more riboflavin and folate. Both basil and tomato contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Basil | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.034 MG | 0.037 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.076 MG | 0.019 MG |
| Niacin | 0.902 MG | 0.594 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.209 MG | 0.089 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.155 MG | 0.08 MG |
| Folate | 68 UG | 15 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Basil is an excellent source of calcium and it has 16 times more calcium than tomato - tomato has 10mg 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 tomato - tomato has 0.27mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both tomato and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 24% more potassium than tomato - tomato has 237mg 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 has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than tomato per 100 grams, however, tomato contains more alpha-carotene and lycopene than basil per 100 grams.
| Basil | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3142 UG | 449 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 5650 UG | 123 UG |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 101 UG |
| lycopene | ~ | 2573 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than tomato per 100 grams.
| Basil | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.316 G | 0.003 G |
| Total | 0.316 G | 0.003 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both basil and tomato contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Basil | Tomato | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.073 G | 0.08 G |
| Total | 0.073 G | 0.08 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.
Basil g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Tomato g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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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 tomato or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?Tomato and basil contain similar amounts of calories - tomato has 18 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.
Is tomato or basil better for protein?
Basil has 260% more protein than tomato - tomato has 0.88g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Does tomato or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both tomato and basil are low in carbohydrates - tomato has 3.9g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in tomato are made of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in basil comprise of 80% dietary fiber and 20% sugar.
Does tomato or basil contain more calcium?
Basil is a rich source of calcium and it has 16 times more calcium than tomato - tomato has 10mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
Does tomato or basil contain more iron?
Basil is an abundant source of iron and it has 10 times more iron than tomato - tomato has 0.27mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
Does tomato or basil contain more potassium?
Both tomato and basil are high in potassium. Basil has 20% more potassium than tomato - tomato has 237mg of potassium in 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.