Calories in Basil, fresh
Generic food Raw Spices, Herbs and Condiments
Basil, fresh contains 23 kcal per 100 g. A typical serving of 2 tbsp, chopped (5.3 g) provides about 1 kcal.
Roughly 44% of its calories come from protein, with 37% from carbohydrates and 20% from fat (estimated with general energy factors).
That is less energy than the typical item in spices and herbs on FoodFactly, where the median is 285 kcal per 100 g across 63 foods.
100 g provides 346% of the Daily Value for Vitamin K, 50% of the Daily Value for manganese and 43% of the Daily Value for copper.
The data comes from USDA FoodData Central: SR Legacy, where most core values were measured by laboratory analysis.
Nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories C | 23 kcal | |
| Total fat M | 0.64 g | 0.8% |
| Saturated fat ? | 0.041 g | 0.2% |
| Trans fat Z | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol Z | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium M | 4 mg | 0.2% |
| Total carbohydrates C | 2.7 g | 1% |
| Dietary fiber M | 1.6 g | 6% |
| Total sugars M | 0.3 g | |
| Protein M | 3.2 g | 6% |
| Vitamin A ? | 264 µg | 29% |
| Vitamin C ? | 18 mg | 20% |
| Vitamin D Z | 0 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin E M | 0.8 mg | 5% |
| Vitamin K M | 415 µg | 346% |
| Thiamin (B1) M | 0.034 mg | 3% |
| Riboflavin (B2) M | 0.076 mg | 6% |
| Niacin (B3) M | 0.9 mg | 6% |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) M | 0.21 mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B6 M | 0.16 mg | 9% |
| Folate (B9) C | 68 µg | 17% |
| Vitamin B12 Z | 0 µg | 0% |
| Choline ? | 11.4 mg | 2% |
| Calcium M | 177 mg | 14% |
| Iron ? | 3.2 mg | 18% |
| Magnesium M | 64 mg | 15% |
| Phosphorus M | 56 mg | 4% |
| Potassium M | 295 mg | 6% |
| Zinc M | 0.81 mg | 7% |
| Copper M | 0.39 mg | 43% |
| Manganese M | 1.1 mg | 50% |
| Selenium M | 0.3 µg | 0.5% |
% DV: percent of the FDA Daily Value for adults (reference amounts). Letters show how each value was obtained: M measured, C calculated, L label, Z assumed zero, I imputed. Vitamins and minerals not listed were not reported by the source.
Nutritional breakdown
- Protein 44%
- Carbohydrates 37%
- Fat 20%
Approximate share of calories, using general energy factors (4 kcal/g protein and carbohydrate, 9 kcal/g fat, 7 kcal/g alcohol).
Vitamins and minerals, % Daily Value per 100 g
Nutritional insights
- Protein3.2 gin the lowest quarter of spices and herbs (median 9.6 g)
- Fiber1.6 gin the lowest quarter of spices and herbs (median 14.7 g)
- Sugars0.3 gin the lowest quarter of spices and herbs (median 2.9 g)
- Fat0.64 gin the lowest quarter of spices and herbs (median 5.9 g)
- Saturated fat0.041 gin the lowest quarter of spices and herbs (median 0.86 g)
- Sodium4 mgin the lowest quarter of spices and herbs (median 50 mg)
- Protein per 100 kcal13.7 gprotein density, useful for comparing foods with different calorie levels
- Water92.1 gwater per 100 g, which largely explains differences between raw, cooked and dried forms
Full nutrient profile
Fats and cholesterol (2)
| Monounsaturated fat ? | 0.088 g |
|---|---|
| Polyunsaturated fat ? | 0.39 g |
Sugars and starch (6)
| Sucrose M | 0 g |
|---|---|
| Glucose M | 0.02 g |
| Fructose M | 0.02 g |
| Lactose M | 0 g |
| Maltose M | 0 g |
| Galactose M | 0.27 g |
Amino acids (18)
| Tryptophan ? | 0.039 g |
|---|---|
| Threonine ? | 0.1 g |
| Isoleucine ? | 0.1 g |
| Leucine ? | 0.19 g |
| Lysine ? | 0.11 g |
| Methionine ? | 0.036 g |
| Cystine ? | 0.028 g |
| Phenylalanine ? | 0.13 g |
| Tyrosine ? | 0.077 g |
| Valine ? | 0.13 g |
| Arginine ? | 0.12 g |
| Histidine ? | 0.051 g |
| Alanine ? | 0.13 g |
| Aspartic acid ? | 0.3 g |
| Glutamic acid ? | 0.28 g |
| Glycine ? | 0.12 g |
| Proline ? | 0.1 g |
| Serine ? | 0.099 g |
Individual fatty acids (19)
| EPA (omega-3, 20:5 n-3) Z | 0 g |
|---|---|
| DHA (omega-3, 22:6 n-3) Z | 0 g |
| Linoleic acid (omega-6, 18:2) ? | 0.073 g |
| SFA 4:0 Z | 0 g |
| SFA 6:0 Z | 0 g |
| SFA 8:0 Z | 0 g |
| SFA 10:0 Z | 0 g |
| SFA 12:0 Z | 0 g |
| SFA 14:0 Z | 0 g |
| SFA 16:0 ? | 0.036 g |
| SFA 18:0 ? | 0.005 g |
| MUFA 18:1 ? | 0.088 g |
| PUFA 18:3 ? | 0.32 g |
| PUFA 20:4 Z | 0 g |
| MUFA 16:1 Z | 0 g |
| PUFA 18:4 Z | 0 g |
| MUFA 20:1 Z | 0 g |
| MUFA 22:1 Z | 0 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) Z | 0 g |
Carotenoids (14)
| Beta-carotene M | 3,142 µg |
|---|---|
| Lycopene M | 0 µg |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin M | 5,650 µg |
| Retinol Z | 0 µg |
| Carotene, alpha M | 0 µg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units Z | 0 IU |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta M | 46 µg |
| Tocopherol, beta M | 0 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma M | 0.16 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta M | 0 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha M | 0 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta M | 0 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma M | 0 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta M | 0 mg |
Other components (13)
| Water M | 92.1 g |
|---|---|
| Alcohol Z | 0 g |
| Caffeine Z | 0 mg |
| Ash M | 1.5 g |
| Theobromine Z | 0 mg |
| Energy C | 94 kJ |
| Vitamin A, IU ? | 5,275 IU |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) M | 0 µg |
| Folic acid Z | 0 µg |
| Folate, food M | 68 µg |
| Betaine M | 0.4 mg |
| Vitamin E, added Z | 0 mg |
| Vitamin B-12, added Z | 0 µg |
Other forms of Basil
Raw, cooked, dried and processed versions are separate records with their own measured values.
| Food | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basil, raw Raw | 23 | 3.2 g | 2.7 g | 0.64 g |
Per 100 g. Calories in kcal. n/a: not reported by the source.
Foods with a similar nutritional profile
| Food | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dill weed, fresh Raw | 43 | 3.5 g | 7 g | 1.1 g |
| Peppers, hot, raw Raw | 34 | 1.4 g | 7.7 g | 0.4 g |
| Spearmint, fresh Raw | 44 | 3.3 g | 8.4 g | 0.73 g |
| Hot pepper sauce | 12 | 1.3 g | 0.8 g | 0.76 g |
| Buffalo sauce | 11 | 1.2 g | 0.75 g | 0.71 g |
| Capers, canned Canned | 23 | 2.4 g | 4.9 g | 0.86 g |
| Salt, table | 0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Lemon juice, 100%, canned or bottled Canned | 17 | 0.45 g | 5.6 g | 0.07 g |
Per 100 g. Calories in kcal. n/a: not reported by the source.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in raw basil?
100 g of raw basil has 23 kcal. 2 tbsp, chopped (5.3 g): about 1 kcal. 5 leaves (2.5 g): about 1 kcal. 0.25 cup leaves, whole (6 g): about 1 kcal.
How much protein is in raw basil?
Raw basil contains 3.2 g of protein per 100 g (6% of the 50 g Daily Value), or 0.17 g in 2 tbsp, chopped (5.3 g). About 44% of its calories come from protein. Compared with other spices and herbs, that is in the lowest quarter (median 9.6 g).
How many carbs are in raw basil?
Raw basil has 2.7 g of total carbohydrates per 100 g, including 1.6 g of fiber and 0.3 g of sugars.
How much fat is in raw basil?
Raw basil contains 0.64 g of fat per 100 g, of which 0.041 g is saturated (0.2% of the Daily Value).
What vitamins and minerals does raw basil contain?
Per 100 g, the most notable amounts relative to the Daily Value are Vitamin K (346% DV), manganese (50% DV), copper (43% DV), Vitamin A (29% DV) and Vitamin C (20% DV). The full list is in the vitamins and minerals table above.
How much sodium is in raw basil?
100 g contains 4 mg of sodium, 0.2% of the 2,300 mg Daily Value.
Where does this nutrition data come from?
From USDA FoodData Central: SR Legacy, record dated April 1, 2019. FoodFactly last checked it on November 6, 2026. Each value above shows whether it was measured, calculated or taken from a label.
Source of the nutrition information
- USDA FoodData Central: SR Legacy, record 172232. License: CC0 1.0 (U.S. public domain). Source record dated April 1, 2019. Imported November 6, 2026.
Last updated: . Data quality score: 100/100 (how it is calculated).
General nutrition information, not medical advice. Individual needs differ; see our disclaimer.