Cauliflower vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Cauliflower and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cauliflower
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cauliflower and watercress:
- Both cauliflower and watercress are high in Vitamin C and potassium.
- Cauliflower has signficantly more dietary fiber than watercress.
- Watercress has more riboflavin, however, cauliflower contains more niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K and calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cauliflower (Cauliflower, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Cauliflower and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - cauliflower has 25 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cauliflower is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to watercress for fat. Cauliflower has a macronutrient ratio of 25:66:9 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cauliflower | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 25% | 60% |
| Carbohydrates | 66% | 34% |
| Fat | 9% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both cauliflower and watercress are low in carbohydrates - cauliflower has 5g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Cauliflower has signficantly more dietary fiber than watercress - cauliflower has 2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Cauliflower and watercress contain similar amounts of sugar - cauliflower has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Cauliflower and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - cauliflower has 1.9g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both cauliflower and watercress are low in saturated fat - cauliflower has 0.13g of saturated fat per 100 grams and watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both cauliflower and watercress are high in Vitamin C. Cauliflower has 12% more Vitamin C than watercress - cauliflower has 48.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and watercress has 43mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than cauliflower - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cauliflower does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Cauliflower and watercress contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - cauliflower has 0.08mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 15 times more Vitamin K than cauliflower - cauliflower has 15.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Watercress has more riboflavin, however, cauliflower contains more niacin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both cauliflower and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin and Vitamin B6.
| Cauliflower | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.05 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.06 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.507 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.667 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.184 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 57 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Watercress is an excellent source of calcium and it has 445% more calcium than cauliflower - cauliflower has 22mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Cauliflower and watercress contain similar amounts of iron - cauliflower has 0.42mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both cauliflower and watercress are high in potassium. Cauliflower is very similar to cauliflower for potassium - cauliflower has 299mg of potassium per 100 grams and watercress has 330mg 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, both cauliflower and watercress contain small amounts of apigenin and luteolin.
| Cauliflower | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.03 mg | 0.01 mg |
| luteolin | 0.09 mg | 0.02 mg |
| kaempferol | 0.36 mg | 23.03 mg |
| Quercetin | 0.54 mg | 29.99 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.2 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,
| Cauliflower | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1 UG | 5767 UG |
| beta-carotene | ~ | 1914 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both cauliflower and watercress contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Cauliflower | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.015 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 0.015 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cauliflower and watercress contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Cauliflower | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.003 G | ~ |
| linoleic acid | 0.016 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 0.019 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 Cauliflower or Watercress .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Cauliflower (Cauliflower, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Cauliflower g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Watercress g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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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 cauliflower or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?Cauliflower and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - cauliflower has 25 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.
Is cauliflower or watercress better for protein?
Cauliflower and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - cauliflower has 1.9g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Does cauliflower or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both cauliflower and watercress are low in carbohydrates - cauliflower has 5g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
Does cauliflower or watercress contain more calcium?
Watercress is a rich source of calcium and it has 450% more calcium than cauliflower - cauliflower has 22mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
Does cauliflower or watercress contain more potassium?
Both cauliflower and watercress are high in potassium. Cauliflower is very similar to cauliflower for potassium - cauliflower has 299mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.