Chicken Leg vs. Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition comparison of Chicken Leg and Sweet Potatoes


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of chicken leg versus sweet potatoes (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in chicken leg and sweet potatoes:

  • Both sweet potatoes and chicken leg are high in potassium.
  • Chicken leg has 117.3 times less carbohydrates than sweet potato.
  • Chicken leg has more lutein + zeaxanthin than sweet potato, however, sweet potato contains more beta-carotene than chicken leg.
  • Chicken leg has more riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B12, however, sweet potato contains more folate.
  • Chicken leg is an excellent source of protein.
  • Sweet potato has signficantly less saturated fat than chicken leg.
  • Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber.
  • Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
Detailed nutritional comparison of chicken leg and sweet potatoes is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Chicken Leg (Chicken, broilers or fryers, leg, meat and skin, raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Chicken leg is high in calories and sweet potato has 60% less calories than chicken leg - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and chicken leg has 214 calories.

Chicken Leg Sweet Potatoes
Protein 31% 7%
Carbohydrates ~ 92%
Fat 68% 1%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Chicken leg has 117.3 times less carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and chicken leg has 0.17g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Sweet potato is a great source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than chicken leg - sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and chicken leg does not contain significant amounts.

sugar

Chicken leg has less sugar than sweet potato - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and chicken leg does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Chicken leg is an excellent source of protein and it has 943% more protein than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and chicken leg has 16.4g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Sweet potato has signficantly less saturated fat than chicken leg - sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and chicken leg has 4.4g of saturated fat.

trans fat

Both chicken leg and sweet potatoes are low in trans fat - chicken leg has 0.06g of trans fat per 100 grams and sweet potato does not contain significant amounts.

cholesterol

Sweet potato has less cholesterol than chicken leg - chicken leg has 93mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and sweet potato does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Sweet potatoes and chicken leg contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and chicken leg has 0.2mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 24 times more Vitamin A than chicken leg - sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and chicken leg has 28ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin D

Chicken leg and sweet potatoes contain similar amounts of Vitamin D - chicken leg has 2iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and sweet potato does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Sweet potatoes and chicken leg contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and chicken leg has 0.22mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Sweet potatoes and chicken leg contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and chicken leg has 2.3ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Chicken leg has more riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B12, however, sweet potato contains more folate. Both chicken leg and sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of thiamin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.

Chicken Leg Sweet Potatoes
Thiamin 0.073 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.141 MG 0.061 MG
Niacin 4.733 MG 0.557 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.994 MG 0.8 MG
Vitamin B6 0.318 MG 0.209 MG
Folate 4 UG 11 UG
Vitamin B12 0.56 UG ~

Minerals

calcium

Sweet potato has 233% more calcium than chicken leg - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and chicken leg has 9mg of calcium.

iron

Sweet potatoes and chicken leg contain similar amounts of iron - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and chicken leg has 0.69mg of iron.

potassium

Both sweet potatoes and chicken leg are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 66% more potassium than chicken leg - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium per 100 grams and chicken leg has 203mg 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, chicken leg has more lutein + zeaxanthin than sweet potato per 100 grams, however, sweet potato contains more beta-carotene than chicken leg per 100 grams.

Chicken Leg Sweet Potatoes
lutein + zeaxanthin 91 UG ~
beta-carotene ~ 8509 UG
alpha-carotene ~ 7 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, chicken leg has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) and DPA than sweet potato per 100 grams.

Chicken Leg Sweet Potatoes
alpha linoleic acid 0.155 G 0.001 G
DHA 0.01 G ~
EPA 0.004 G ~
DPA 0.012 G ~
Total 0.181 G 0.001 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, chicken leg has more linoleic acid than sweet potato per 100 grams.

Chicken Leg Sweet Potatoes
other omega 6 0.016 G ~
linoleic acid 2.987 G 0.013 G
Total 3.003 G 0.013 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 Chicken Leg or Sweet Potatoes .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Chicken Leg (Chicken, broilers or fryers, leg, meat and skin, raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .

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FAQ

Does sweet potatoes or chicken leg contain more calories in 100 grams?
Chicken leg is high in calories and sweet potato has 60% less calories than chicken leg - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and chicken leg has 214 calories.

Is sweet potatoes or chicken leg better for protein?
Chicken leg is a fantastic source of protein and it has 940% more protein than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and chicken leg has 16.4g of protein.

Does sweet potatoes or chicken leg have more carbohydrates?
By weight, chicken leg has 117.3 times fewer carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and chicken leg has 0.17g of carbohydrates.

Does sweet potatoes or chicken leg contain more potassium?
Both sweet potatoes and chicken leg are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 70% more potassium than chicken leg - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and chicken leg has 203mg of potassium.