Bok Choy vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Bok Choy and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
bok choy
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in bok choy and watercress:
- Both watercress and bok choy are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium and potassium.
- Bok choy has more niacin and folate, however, watercress contains more pantothenic acid.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Bok Choy (Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of calories - watercress has 11 calories per 100 grams and bok choy has 13 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, bok choy is much lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to watercress per calorie. Bok choy has a macronutrient ratio of 36:53:11 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Bok Choy | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 36% | 60% |
| Carbohydrates | 53% | 34% |
| Fat | 11% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both watercress and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - watercress has 1.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in watercress are made of 71% dietary fiber and 29% sugar, whereas the carbs in bok choy comprise of 54% sugar and 46% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Bok choy has 100% more dietary fiber than watercress - watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and bok choy has 1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of sugar - watercress has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both watercress and bok choy are low in saturated fat - watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both watercress and bok choy are high in Vitamin C. Watercress is very similar to watercress for Vitamin C - watercress has 43mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and bok choy has 45mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both watercress and bok choy are high in Vitamin A. Bok choy has 39% more Vitamin A than watercress - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and bok choy has 223ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.09mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 449% more Vitamin K than bok choy - watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and bok choy has 45.5ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Bok choy has more niacin and folate, however, watercress contains more pantothenic acid. Both bok choy and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin and Vitamin B6.
| Bok Choy | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.04 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.07 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.5 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.088 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.194 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 66 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both watercress and bok choy are high in calcium. Watercress has 14% more calcium than bok choy - watercress has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.
iron
Bok choy has 300% more iron than watercress - watercress has 0.2mg of iron per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.8mg of iron.
potassium
Both watercress and bok choy are high in potassium. Watercress has 31% more potassium than bok choy - watercress has 330mg of potassium per 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg 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, bok choy has more apigenin than watercress per 100 grams, however, watercress contains more kaempferol and quercetin than bok choy per 100 grams. Both bok choy and watercress contain small amounts of luteolin and myricetin.
| Bok Choy | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.24 mg | 0.01 mg |
| luteolin | 0.09 mg | 0.02 mg |
| kaempferol | 4.33 mg | 23.03 mg |
| myricetin | 0.03 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Quercetin | 2.06 mg | 29.99 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, both bok choy and watercress contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Bok Choy | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2681 UG | 1914 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 1 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 40 UG | 5767 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, bok choy has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than watercress per 100 grams.
| Bok Choy | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.055 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 0.055 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both bok choy and watercress contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Bok Choy | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.042 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 0.042 G | 0.012 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).
You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Bok Choy or Watercress .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Bok Choy (Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Bok Choy g
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| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does watercress or bok choy contain more calories in 100 grams?Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of calories - watercress has 11 calories in 100g and bok choy has 13 calories.
Is watercress or bok choy better for protein?
Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.
Does watercress or bok choy have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both watercress and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - watercress has 1.3g of carbs for 100g and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates. the carbs in watercress are made of 70% dietary fiber and 30% sugar, whereas the carbs in bok choy comprise of 50% sugar and 50% dietary fiber.
Does watercress or bok choy contain more calcium?
Both watercress and bok choy are high in calcium. Watercress has 10% more calcium than bok choy - watercress has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.
Does watercress or bok choy contain more potassium?
Both watercress and bok choy are high in potassium. Watercress has 30% more potassium than bok choy - watercress has 330mg of potassium in 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg of potassium.