Scallion vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Scallion and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
scallion
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in scallion and watercress:
- Both scallion and watercress are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
- Scallion has more niacin and folate, however, watercress contains more pantothenic acid.
- Scallion is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Watercress has 4.6 times less carbohydrates than scallion.
- Watercress has 66% less calories than scallion.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Scallion (Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Watercress has 66% less calories than scallion - scallion has 32 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, scallion is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to watercress for fat. Scallion has a macronutrient ratio of 19:76:5 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Scallion | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 19% | 60% |
| Carbohydrates | 76% | 34% |
| Fat | 5% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watercress has 4.6 times less carbohydrates than scallion - scallion has 7.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Scallion is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 420% more dietary fiber than watercress - scallion has 2.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Scallion and watercress contain similar amounts of sugar - scallion has 2.3g of sugar per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Scallion and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - scallion has 1.8g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both scallion and watercress are low in saturated fat - scallion has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both scallion and watercress are high in Vitamin C. Watercress has 129% more Vitamin C than scallion - scallion has 18.8mg 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 220% more Vitamin A than scallion - scallion has 50ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Scallion and watercress contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - scallion has 0.55mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both scallion and watercress are high in Vitamin K. Watercress has 21% more Vitamin K than scallion - scallion has 207ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Scallion has more niacin and folate, however, watercress contains more pantothenic acid. Both scallion and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin and Vitamin B6.
| Scallion | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.055 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.08 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.525 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.075 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.061 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 64 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both scallion and watercress are high in calcium. Watercress has 67% more calcium than scallion - scallion has 72mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Scallion has 640% more iron than watercress - scallion has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both scallion and watercress are high in potassium. Watercress has 20% more potassium than scallion - scallion has 276mg 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,
| Scallion | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| kaempferol | 1.36 mg | 23.03 mg |
| Quercetin | 10.68 mg | 29.99 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.01 mg |
| luteolin | ~ | 0.02 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,
| Scallion | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 598 UG | 1914 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1137 UG | 5767 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, watercress has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than scallion per 100 grams.
| Scallion | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.004 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 0.004 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, scallion has more linoleic acid than watercress per 100 grams.
| Scallion | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.07 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 0.07 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 Scallion or Watercress .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Scallion (Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Scallion g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Watercress g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % |
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5% | iron | 5% |
|
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 % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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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 % |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
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 % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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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 scallion or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?Watercress has 70% less calories than scallion - scallion has 32 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.
Is scallion or watercress better for protein?
Scallion and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - scallion has 1.8g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Does scallion or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watercress has 4.6 times fewer carbohydrates than scallion - scallion has 7.3g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
Does scallion or watercress contain more calcium?
Both scallion and watercress are high in calcium. Watercress has 70% more calcium than scallion - scallion has 72mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
Does scallion or watercress contain more potassium?
Both scallion and watercress are high in potassium. Watercress has 20% more potassium than scallion - scallion has 276mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.