Scallion vs. Sweet Potatoes
Nutrition comparison of Scallion and Sweet Potatoes
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
scallion
versus
sweet potatoes
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in scallion and sweet potatoes:
- Both sweet potatoes and scallion are high in dietary fiber and potassium.
- Scallion has 63% less calories than sweet potato.
- Scallion has 64% less carbohydrates than sweet potato.
- Scallion is an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and calcium.
- Sweet potato has more beta-carotene than scallion, however, scallion contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than sweet potato.
- Sweet potato has more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, scallion contains more folate.
- Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Scallion (Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Scallion has 63% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories per 100 grams and scallion has 32 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, scallion is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to sweet potatoes per calorie. Scallion has a macronutrient ratio of 19:76:5 and for sweet potatoes, 7:92:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Scallion | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 19% | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 76% | 92% |
| Fat | 5% | 1% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Scallion has 64% less carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and scallion has 7.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both sweet potatoes and scallion are high in dietary fiber. Sweet potato has 15% more dietary fiber than scallion - sweet potato has 3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and scallion has 2.6g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Sweet potatoes and scallion contain similar amounts of sugar - sweet potato has 4.2g of sugar per 100 grams and scallion has 2.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Sweet potatoes and scallion contain similar amounts of protein - sweet potato has 1.6g of protein per 100 grams and scallion has 1.8g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both sweet potatoes and scallion are low in saturated fat - sweet potato has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and scallion has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Scallion is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 683% more Vitamin C than sweet potato - sweet potato has 2.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and scallion has 18.8mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Sweet potato is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 13 times more Vitamin A than scallion - sweet potato has 709ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and scallion has 50ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Sweet potatoes and scallion contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - sweet potato has 0.26mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and scallion has 0.55mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Scallion is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 114 times more Vitamin K than sweet potato - sweet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and scallion has 207ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Sweet potato has more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, scallion contains more folate. Both scallion and sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin and niacin.
| Scallion | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.055 MG | 0.078 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.08 MG | 0.061 MG |
| Niacin | 0.525 MG | 0.557 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.075 MG | 0.8 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.061 MG | 0.209 MG |
| Folate | 64 UG | 11 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Scallion is an excellent source of calcium and it has 140% more calcium than sweet potato - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium per 100 grams and scallion has 72mg of calcium.
iron
Scallion has 143% more iron than sweet potato - sweet potato has 0.61mg of iron per 100 grams and scallion has 1.5mg of iron.
potassium
Both sweet potatoes and scallion are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 22% more potassium than scallion - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium per 100 grams and scallion has 276mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
flavonoids
Naturally occuring in fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are associated with many health benefits and used in a variety of medicinal and pharmaceutical applications. [2][3]
For specific flavonoid compounds,
| Scallion | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| kaempferol | 1.36 mg | 0.01 mg |
| Quercetin | 10.68 mg | 0.01 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.01 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.02 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.03 mg |
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, sweet potato has more beta-carotene than scallion per 100 grams, however, scallion contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than sweet potato per 100 grams.
| Scallion | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 598 UG | 8509 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1137 UG | ~ |
| alpha-carotene | ~ | 7 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both scallion and sweet potatoes contain small amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Scallion | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.004 G | 0.001 G |
| Total | 0.004 G | 0.001 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, scallion has more linoleic acid than sweet potato per 100 grams.
| Scallion | Sweet Potatoes | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.07 G | 0.013 G |
| Total | 0.07 G | 0.013 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.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Scallion (Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw) and Sweet Potatoes (Sweet potato, raw, unprepared) .
Scallion g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Sweet Potatoes 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 % |
|
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 sweet potatoes or scallion contain more calories in 100 grams?Scallion has 60% less calories than sweet potato - sweet potato has 86 calories in 100g and scallion has 32 calories.
Does sweet potatoes or scallion have more carbohydrates?
By weight, scallion has 60% fewer carbohydrates than sweet potato - sweet potato has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and scallion has 7.3g of carbohydrates.
Does sweet potatoes or scallion contain more calcium?
Scallion is a rich source of calcium and it has 140% more calcium than sweet potato - sweet potato has 30mg of calcium in 100 grams and scallion has 72mg of calcium.
Does sweet potatoes or scallion contain more potassium?
Both sweet potatoes and scallion are high in potassium. Sweet potato has 20% more potassium than scallion - sweet potato has 337mg of potassium in 100 grams and scallion has 276mg of potassium.