Chives vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Chives and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
chives
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in chives and watercress:
- Both chives and watercress are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
- Chive has more niacin and folate.
- Chive has signficantly more iron than watercress.
- Chive is a great source of dietary fiber.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Chives (Chives, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Chives and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - chive has 30 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, chives is much lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to watercress per calorie. Chives has a macronutrient ratio of 36:47:17 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Chives | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 36% | 60% |
| Carbohydrates | 47% | 34% |
| Fat | 17% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both chives and watercress are low in carbohydrates - chive has 4.4g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in chives are made of 57% dietary fiber and 43% sugar, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 71% dietary fiber and 29% sugar.
dietary fiber
Chive is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 400% more dietary fiber than watercress - chive has 2.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Chives and watercress contain similar amounts of sugar - chive has 1.9g of sugar per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Chives and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - chive has 3.3g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both chives and watercress are low in saturated fat - chive has 0.15g of saturated fat per 100 grams and watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both chives and watercress are high in Vitamin C. Chive has 35% more Vitamin C than watercress - chive has 58.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and watercress has 43mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both chives and watercress are high in Vitamin A. Chive has 36% more Vitamin A than watercress - chive has 218ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Chives and watercress contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - chive has 0.21mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both chives and watercress are high in Vitamin K. Watercress has 18% more Vitamin K than chive - chive has 212.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Chive has more niacin and folate. Both chives and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Chives | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.078 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.115 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.647 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.324 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.138 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 105 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both chives and watercress are high in calcium. Watercress has 30% more calcium than chive - chive has 92mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Chive has signficantly more iron than watercress - chive has 1.6mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both chives and watercress are high in potassium. Chive is very similar to chive for potassium - chive has 296mg 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, chive has more isorhamnetin than watercress per 100 grams, however, watercress contains more kaempferol and quercetin than chive per 100 grams. Both chives and watercress contain small amounts of luteolin.
| Chives | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.15 mg | 0.02 mg |
| isorhamnetin | 6.75 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 10.0 mg | 23.03 mg |
| Quercetin | 4.77 mg | 29.99 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.01 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, both chives and watercress contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.
| Chives | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2612 UG | 1914 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 323 UG | 5767 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both chives and watercress contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Chives | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.015 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 0.015 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, chive has more linoleic acid than watercress per 100 grams.
| Chives | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.252 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 0.252 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 Chives or Watercress .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Chives (Chives, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Chives g
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Daily Values (%) |
Watercress g
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| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 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% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does chives or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?Chives and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - chive has 30 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.
Is chives or watercress better for protein?
Chives and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - chive has 3.3g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Does chives or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both chives and watercress are low in carbohydrates - chive has 4.4g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in chives are made of 60% dietary fiber and 40% sugar, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 70% dietary fiber and 30% sugar.
Does chives or watercress contain more calcium?
Both chives and watercress are high in calcium. Watercress has 30% more calcium than chive - chive has 92mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
Does chives or watercress contain more potassium?
Both chives and watercress are high in potassium. Chive is very similar to chive for potassium - chive has 296mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.