Cabbage vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Cabbage and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cabbage
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cabbage and watercress:
- Both cabbage and watercress are high in Vitamin C.
- Cabbage is a great source of dietary fiber.
- Watercress has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than cabbage, however, cabbage contains more alpha-carotene than watercress.
- Watercress has more riboflavin, however, cabbage contains more folate.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cabbage (Cabbage, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - cabbage has 25 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cabbage is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to watercress for fat. Cabbage has a macronutrient ratio of 18:79:3 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cabbage | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 18% | 60% |
| Carbohydrates | 79% | 34% |
| Fat | 3% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of carbs - cabbage has 5.8g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in cabbage are made of 56% sugar and 44% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 71% dietary fiber and 29% sugar.
dietary fiber
Cabbage is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 400% more dietary fiber than watercress - cabbage has 2.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of sugar - cabbage has 3.2g of sugar per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - cabbage has 1.3g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both cabbage and watercress are low in saturated fat - cabbage has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both cabbage and watercress are high in Vitamin C. Watercress has 17% more Vitamin C than cabbage - cabbage has 36.6mg 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 31 times more Vitamin A than cabbage - cabbage has 5ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - cabbage has 0.15mg 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 229% more Vitamin K than cabbage - cabbage has 76ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Watercress has more riboflavin, however, cabbage contains more folate. Both cabbage and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Cabbage | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.061 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.04 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.234 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.212 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.124 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 43 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Watercress is an excellent source of calcium and it has 200% more calcium than cabbage - cabbage has 40mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of iron - cabbage has 0.47mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
potassium
Watercress is an excellent source of potassium and it has 94% more potassium than cabbage - cabbage has 170mg 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 cabbage and watercress contain small amounts of apigenin and luteolin.
| Cabbage | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.08 mg | 0.01 mg |
| luteolin | 0.1 mg | 0.02 mg |
| kaempferol | 0.18 mg | 23.03 mg |
| Quercetin | 0.28 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, watercress has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than cabbage per 100 grams, however, cabbage contains more alpha-carotene than watercress per 100 grams.
| Cabbage | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 42 UG | 1914 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 33 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 30 UG | 5767 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cabbage and watercress contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Cabbage | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.017 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 0.017 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 Cabbage or Watercress .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Cabbage (Cabbage, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Cabbage 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 % |
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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% |
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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 % |
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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% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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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 cabbage or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?Cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - cabbage has 25 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.
Is cabbage or watercress better for protein?
Cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - cabbage has 1.3g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Does cabbage or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of carbs - cabbage has 5.8g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in cabbage are made of 60% sugar and 40% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 70% dietary fiber and 30% sugar.
Does cabbage or watercress contain more calcium?
Watercress is a rich source of calcium and it has 200% more calcium than cabbage - cabbage has 40mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
Does cabbage or watercress contain more potassium?
Watercress is a rich source of potassium and it has 90% more potassium than cabbage - cabbage has 170mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.