Watermelon vs. Russet Potato
Nutrition comparison of Watermelon and Russet Potato
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
watermelon
versus
russet potato
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in watermelon and russet potato:
- Russet potato has 9 times less sugar than watermelon.
- Russet potato has more thiamin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Russet potato is an excellent source of potassium.
- Watermelon has 58% less carbohydrates than russet potato.
- Watermelon has 62% less calories than russet potato.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Watermelon has 62% less calories than russet potato - watermelon has 30 calories per 100 grams and russet potato has 79 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, watermelon is heavier in fat and similar to russet potato for protein and carbs. Watermelon has a macronutrient ratio of 7:88:5 and for russet potato, 10:89:1 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Watermelon | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 7% | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 88% | 89% |
| Fat | 5% | 1% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watermelon has 58% less carbohydrates than russet potato - watermelon has 7.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and russet potato has 18.1g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in watermelon are made of 94% sugar and 6% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in russet potato comprise of 89% starch, 7% dietary fiber and 3% sugar.
dietary fiber
Russet potato has 225% more dietary fiber than watermelon - watermelon has 0.4g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and russet potato has 1.3g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Russet potato has 9 times less sugar than watermelon - watermelon has 6.2g of sugar per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.62g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Watermelon and russet potato contain similar amounts of protein - watermelon has 0.61g of protein per 100 grams and russet potato has 2.1g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both watermelon and russet potato are low in saturated fat - watermelon has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Watermelon and russet potato contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - watermelon has 8.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and russet potato has 5.7mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Watermelon has more Vitamin A than russet potato - watermelon has 28ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and russet potato does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Watermelon and russet potato contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watermelon has 0.05mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.01mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Watermelon and russet potato contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - watermelon has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and russet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Russet potato has more thiamin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both watermelon and russet potato contain significant amounts of riboflavin and pantothenic acid.
| Watermelon | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.033 MG | 0.082 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.021 MG | 0.033 MG |
| Niacin | 0.178 MG | 1.035 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.221 MG | 0.301 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.045 MG | 0.345 MG |
| Folate | 3 UG | 14 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Watermelon and russet potato contain similar amounts of calcium - watermelon has 7mg of calcium per 100 grams and russet potato has 13mg of calcium.
iron
Russet potato has 258% more iron than watermelon - watermelon has 0.24mg of iron per 100 grams and russet potato has 0.86mg of iron.
potassium
Russet potato is an excellent source of potassium and it has 272% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium per 100 grams and russet potato has 417mg 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, both watermelon and russet potato contain small amounts of lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Watermelon | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 303 UG | ~ |
| lycopene | 4532 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 8 UG | 5 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both watermelon and russet potato contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Watermelon | Russet Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.05 G | 0.032 G |
| Total | 0.05 G | 0.032 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 Watermelon or Russet Potato .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) .
Watermelon g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Russet Potato g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
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 % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
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 watermelon or russet potato contain more calories in 100 grams?Watermelon has 60% less calories than russet potato - watermelon has 30 calories in 100g and russet potato has 79 calories.
Does watermelon or russet potato have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watermelon has 60% fewer carbohydrates than russet potato - watermelon has 7.6g of carbs for 100g and russet potato has 18.1g of carbohydrates. the carbs in watermelon are made of 90% sugar and 10% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in russet potato comprise of 90% starch, 10% dietary fiber and 0% sugar.
Does watermelon or russet potato contain more potassium?
Russet potato is a rich source of potassium and it has 270% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium in 100 grams and russet potato has 417mg of potassium.