Basil vs Parsley – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing basil to parsley, we picked the parsley.

Why?

You may be thinking: these are just herbs; we don’t eat enough of these for the nutritional values to be relevant!

And to this we say: there’s nothing stopping you :p Herbs are full of flavor and goodness and there is really no reason to deny yourself. On this note, check out the sabzi khordan (traditional Levantine herb platter), linked below. You’ll start thinking about herbs in new ways, and you can thank us later!

So, onwards to the comparisons…

In terms of macros, they are similar aside from that parsley has 2x the fiber, and this scores a first-round win.

In the category of vitamins, basil has more of vitamin B6, while parsley has more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B7, B9, C, E, and K, winning easily in this round too.

Looking at minerals next, basil has more copper, manganese, and selenium, while parsley has more iron, potassium, and zinc, for a tie in this category.

In other considerations, both are good sources of polyphenols, but parsley has more, so that’s another point in parsley’s favor.

Adding up the sections makes for a clear overall win for parsley, but by all means do enjoy either or both, as diversity is best!

Want to learn more?

You might like:

• Holy Basil: What Does (And Doesn’t) It Do? ← this is not culinary basil, but it’s an interesting read nevertheless
• 21 Most Beneficial Polyphenols & What Foods Have Them
• Invigorating Sabzi Khordan (A Traditional Levantine Platter Of Herbs & Accompaniments)

Enjoy!