Flaxseeds vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Flaxseeds and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
flaxseeds
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in flaxseeds and watercress:
- Both flaxseeds and watercress are high in calcium and potassium.
- Flaxseed has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Flaxseed is an excellent source of dietary fiber, iron and protein.
- Watercress has signficantly less carbohydrates than flaxseed.
- Watercress has signficantly less saturated fat than flaxseed.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Flaxseed is high in calories and watercress has 98% less calories than flaxseed - flaxseed has 534 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, flaxseeds is much lighter in protein, lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to watercress per calorie. Flaxseeds has a macronutrient ratio of 13:20:67 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Flaxseeds | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 13% | 60% |
| Carbohydrates | 20% | 34% |
| Fat | 67% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watercress has signficantly less carbohydrates than flaxseed - flaxseed has 28.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in flaxseeds are made of 95% dietary fiber and 5% sugar, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 71% dietary fiber and 29% sugar.
dietary fiber
Flaxseed is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 53 times more dietary fiber than watercress - flaxseed has 27.3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Flaxseeds and watercress contain similar amounts of sugar - flaxseed has 1.6g of sugar per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Flaxseed is an excellent source of protein and it has 695% more protein than watercress - flaxseed has 18.3g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Watercress has signficantly less saturated fat than flaxseed - flaxseed has 3.7g of saturated fat per 100 grams and watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 70 times more Vitamin C than flaxseed - flaxseed has 0.6mg 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 flaxseed - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and flaxseed does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Flaxseeds and watercress contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - flaxseed has 0.31mg 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 57 times more Vitamin K than flaxseed - flaxseed has 4.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Flaxseed has more thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both flaxseeds and watercress contain significant amounts of riboflavin.
| Flaxseeds | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 1.644 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.161 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 3.08 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.985 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.473 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 87 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both flaxseeds and watercress are high in calcium. Flaxseed has 113% more calcium than watercress - flaxseed has 255mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Flaxseed is an excellent source of iron and it has 27 times more iron than watercress - flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both flaxseeds and watercress are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 146% more potassium than watercress - flaxseed has 813mg of potassium per 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
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,
| Flaxseeds | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 651 UG | 5767 UG |
| beta-carotene | ~ | 1914 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than watercress per 100 grams.
| Flaxseeds | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 22.813 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 22.813 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, flaxseed has more linoleic acid than watercress per 100 grams.
| Flaxseeds | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.007 G | ~ |
| linoleic acid | 5.903 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 5.91 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 Flaxseeds or Watercress .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Flaxseeds (Seeds, flaxseed) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Flaxseeds g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Watercress g
()
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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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 % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does flaxseeds or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?Flaxseed is high in calories and watercress has 100% less calories than flaxseed - flaxseed has 534 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.
Is flaxseeds or watercress better for protein?
Flaxseed is a fantastic source of protein and it has 700% more protein than watercress - flaxseed has 18.3g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Does flaxseeds or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watercress has signficantly fewer carbohydrates than flaxseed - flaxseed has 28.9g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in flaxseeds are made of 100% dietary fiber and 10% sugar, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 70% dietary fiber and 30% sugar.
Does flaxseeds or watercress contain more calcium?
Both flaxseeds and watercress are high in calcium. Flaxseed has 110% more calcium than watercress - flaxseed has 255mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
Does flaxseeds or watercress contain more iron?
Flaxseed is an abundant source of iron and it has 27 times more iron than watercress - flaxseed has 5.7mg of iron in 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
Does flaxseeds or watercress contain more potassium?
Both flaxseeds and watercress are high in potassium. Flaxseed has 150% more potassium than watercress - flaxseed has 813mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.