Basil vs. Parsley
Nutrition comparison of Basil and Parsley
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
basil
versus
parsley
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in basil and parsley:
- Both parsley and basil are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, iron and potassium.
- Parsley has more thiamin and folate.
- Parsley is an excellent source of dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Basil (Basil, fresh) and Parsley (Parsley, fresh) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of calories - parsley has 36 calories per 100 grams and basil has 23 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, basil is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to parsley per calorie. Basil has a macronutrient ratio of 43:32:24 and for parsley, 27:57:17 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Basil | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 43% | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 32% | 57% |
| Fat | 24% | 17% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of carbs - parsley has 6.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Parsley is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 106% more dietary fiber than basil - parsley has 3.3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and basil has 1.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of sugar - parsley has 0.85g of sugar per 100 grams and basil has 0.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of protein - parsley has 3g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both parsley and basil are low in saturated fat - parsley has 0.13g of saturated fat per 100 grams and basil has 0.04g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both parsley and basil are high in Vitamin C. Parsley has 639% more Vitamin C than basil - parsley has 133mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and basil has 18mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both parsley and basil are high in Vitamin A. Parsley has 59% more Vitamin A than basil - parsley has 421ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and basil has 264ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - parsley has 0.75mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and basil has 0.8mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both parsley and basil are high in Vitamin K. Parsley has 295% more Vitamin K than basil - parsley has 1640ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and basil has 414.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Parsley has more thiamin and folate. Both basil and parsley contain significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Basil | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.034 MG | 0.086 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.076 MG | 0.098 MG |
| Niacin | 0.902 MG | 1.313 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.209 MG | 0.4 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.155 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Folate | 68 UG | 152 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both parsley and basil are high in calcium. Basil has 28% more calcium than parsley - parsley has 138mg of calcium per 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
iron
Both parsley and basil are high in iron. Parsley has 96% more iron than basil - parsley has 6.2mg of iron per 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both parsley and basil are high in potassium. Parsley has 88% more potassium than basil - parsley has 554mg 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 parsley contain significant amounts of beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Basil | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 3142 UG | 5054 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 5650 UG | 5561 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, basil has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than parsley per 100 grams.
| Basil | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.316 G | 0.008 G |
| Total | 0.316 G | 0.008 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both basil and parsley contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Basil | Parsley | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.073 G | 0.115 G |
| Total | 0.073 G | 0.115 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 (%) |
Parsley 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 % |
|
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 % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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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 parsley or basil contain more calories in 100 grams?Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of calories - parsley has 36 calories in 100g and basil has 23 calories.
Is parsley or basil better for protein?
Parsley and basil contain similar amounts of protein - parsley has 3g of protein per 100 grams and basil has 3.2g of protein.
Does parsley or basil have more carbohydrates?
By weight, parsley and basil contain similar amounts of carbs - parsley has 6.3g of carbs for 100g and basil has 2.7g of carbohydrates.
Does parsley or basil contain more calcium?
Both parsley and basil are high in calcium. Basil has 30% more calcium than parsley - parsley has 138mg of calcium in 100 grams and basil has 177mg of calcium.
Does parsley or basil contain more iron?
Both parsley and basil are high in iron. Parsley has 100% more iron than basil - parsley has 6.2mg of iron in 100 grams and basil has 3.2mg of iron.
Does parsley or basil contain more potassium?
Both parsley and basil are high in potassium. Parsley has 90% more potassium than basil - parsley has 554mg of potassium in 100 grams and basil has 295mg of potassium.