Collard Greens vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Collard Greens and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
collard greens
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in collard greens and watercress:
- Both watercress and collard greens are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
- Collard green has more niacin and folate.
- Collard green is an excellent source of dietary fiber.
- Watercress has 66% less calories than collard green.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Collard Greens (Collards, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Watercress has 66% less calories than collard green - watercress has 11 calories per 100 grams and collard green has 32 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, collard greens is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to watercress per calorie. Collard greens has a macronutrient ratio of 31:55:14 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Collard Greens | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 31% | 60% |
| Carbohydrates | 55% | 34% |
| Fat | 14% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watercress and collard greens contain similar amounts of carbs - watercress has 1.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and collard green has 5.4g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in watercress are made of 71% dietary fiber and 29% sugar, whereas the carbs in collard greens comprise of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar.
dietary fiber
Collard green is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 700% more dietary fiber than watercress - watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and collard green has 4g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Watercress and collard greens contain similar amounts of sugar - watercress has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and collard green has 0.46g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Watercress and collard greens contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and collard green has 3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both watercress and collard greens are low in saturated fat - watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and collard green has 0.06g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both watercress and collard greens are high in Vitamin C. Watercress has 22% more Vitamin C than collard green - watercress has 43mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and collard green has 35.3mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Both watercress and collard greens are high in Vitamin A. Collard green has 57% more Vitamin A than watercress - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and collard green has 251ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Watercress and collard greens contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and collard green has 2.3mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both watercress and collard greens are high in Vitamin K. Collard green has 75% more Vitamin K than watercress - watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and collard green has 437.1ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Collard green has more niacin and folate. Both collard greens and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Collard Greens | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.054 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.13 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.742 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.267 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.165 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 129 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both watercress and collard greens are high in calcium. Collard green has 93% more calcium than watercress - watercress has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and collard green has 232mg of calcium.
iron
Watercress and collard greens contain similar amounts of iron - watercress has 0.2mg of iron per 100 grams and collard green has 0.47mg of iron.
potassium
Both watercress and collard greens are high in potassium. Watercress has 55% more potassium than collard green - watercress has 330mg of potassium per 100 grams and collard green has 213mg 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 collard greens and watercress contain small amounts of luteolin.
| Collard Greens | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.08 mg | 0.02 mg |
| kaempferol | 8.74 mg | 23.03 mg |
| Quercetin | 2.57 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 collard greens and watercress contain significant amounts of beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin.
| Collard Greens | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2991 UG | 1914 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 14 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 4323 UG | 5767 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, collard green has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than watercress per 100 grams.
| Collard Greens | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.108 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 0.108 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, collard green has more linoleic acid than watercress per 100 grams.
| Collard Greens | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.082 G | 0.012 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.002 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.084 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 Collard Greens or Watercress .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Collard Greens (Collards, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Collard Greens g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Watercress g
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5% | calories | 5% |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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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% | 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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| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does watercress or collard greens contain more calories in 100 grams?Watercress has 70% less calories than collard green - watercress has 11 calories in 100g and collard green has 32 calories.
Is watercress or collard greens better for protein?
Watercress and collard greens contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and collard green has 3g of protein.
Does watercress or collard greens have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watercress and collard greens contain similar amounts of carbs - watercress has 1.3g of carbs for 100g and collard green has 5.4g of carbohydrates. the carbs in watercress are made of 70% dietary fiber and 30% sugar, whereas the carbs in collard greens comprise of 90% dietary fiber and 10% sugar.
Does watercress or collard greens contain more calcium?
Both watercress and collard greens are high in calcium. Collard green has 90% more calcium than watercress - watercress has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and collard green has 232mg of calcium.
Does watercress or collard greens contain more potassium?
Both watercress and collard greens are high in potassium. Watercress has 60% more potassium than collard green - watercress has 330mg of potassium in 100 grams and collard green has 213mg of potassium.