Basil
What it is
Basil is a culinary leafy herb. This profile covers fresh basil and is separate from holy basil supplement ingredients.
What it does
For the named reference food, USDA lists 23 kcal, 2.65 g carbohydrate and 1.6 g fiber per 100 g edible portion. The table gives additional nutrients for that same food form. These figures describe composition, not an effect on a disease or a recommended serving.
Research context and ingredient forms
Reference food: Basil, fresh. These are historical SR Legacy data from the April 2018 release, published in FoodData Central in 2019. A different variety, preparation, water content, or commercial recipe can change the result. For a matching food, a portion estimate scales each value by edible portion grams divided by 100.
Using this information
Fresh leaves and dried basil differ in water content. Use a recipe-sized portion, and do not extend a culinary composition record to basil oils or concentrated extracts.
Food sources and composition
| Nutrient | Amount and serving basis | Food and source |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 23 kcal per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Protein | 3.15 g per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.64 g per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 2.65 g per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.6 g per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Calcium, Ca | 177 mg per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Iron, Fe | 3.17 mg per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Magnesium, Mg | 64 mg per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Potassium, K | 295 mg per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 18 mg per 100 g edible portion | Basil, fresh; Basil, fresh SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
Scientific Research & References
- Basil, fresh
2019 · USDA Agricultural Research Service
Limitations: Historical food/preparation-specific composition. Values can be analytical, calculated or imputed; not a current brand label or clinical-outcome estimate.
Source assessment recorded.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy Release: Documentation
2018 · USDA Agricultural Research Service
Limitations: Historical dataset; values may be analytical, calculated, imputed, or assumed zero. Not clinical-outcome evidence.
Source assessment recorded.
Related dictionary entries
Products containing it
No label-specific product relationship has been reviewed for this entry.