Watermelon vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Watermelon and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
watermelon
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in watermelon and watercress:
- Watercress has 30 times less sugar than watermelon.
- Watercress has 4.8 times less carbohydrates than watermelon.
- Watercress has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than watermelon, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than watercress.
- Watercress has more thiamin, riboflavin and Vitamin B6.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Watermelon and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, watermelon is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to watercress for fat. Watermelon has a macronutrient ratio of 7:88:5 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Watermelon | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 7% | 60% |
| Carbohydrates | 88% | 34% |
| Fat | 5% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watercress has 4.8 times less carbohydrates than watermelon - watermelon has 7.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in watermelon are made of 94% sugar and 6% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 71% dietary fiber and 29% sugar.
dietary fiber
Watermelon and watercress contain similar amounts of dietary fiber - watermelon has 0.4g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Watercress has 30 times less sugar than watermelon - watermelon has 6.2g of sugar per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Watercress has 277% more protein than watermelon - watermelon has 0.61g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both watermelon and watercress are low in saturated fat - watermelon has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 431% more Vitamin C than watermelon - watermelon has 8.1mg 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 471% more Vitamin A than watermelon - watermelon has 28ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Watermelon and watercress contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watermelon has 0.05mg 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 2499 times more Vitamin K than watermelon - watermelon has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Watercress has more thiamin, riboflavin and Vitamin B6. Both watermelon and watercress contain significant amounts of niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
| Watermelon | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.033 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.021 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.178 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.221 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.045 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 3 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Watercress is an excellent source of calcium and it has 16 times more calcium than watermelon - watermelon has 7mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Watermelon and watercress contain similar amounts of iron - watermelon has 0.24mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
potassium
Watercress is an excellent source of potassium and it has 195% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg 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, watermelon has more luteolin than watercress per 100 grams, however, watercress contains more kaempferol and quercetin than watermelon per 100 grams.
| Watermelon | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.46 mg | 0.02 mg |
| kaempferol | 0.45 mg | 23.03 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.01 mg |
| myricetin | ~ | 0.2 mg |
| Quercetin | ~ | 29.99 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 watermelon per 100 grams, however, watermelon contains more lycopene than watercress per 100 grams.
| Watermelon | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 303 UG | 1914 UG |
| lycopene | 4532 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 8 UG | 5767 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both watermelon and watercress contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Watermelon | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.05 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 0.05 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 Watermelon or Watercress .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Watermelon g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Watercress g
()
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| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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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 % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 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% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 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% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does watermelon or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?Watermelon and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.
Is watermelon or watercress better for protein?
Watercress has 280% more protein than watermelon - watermelon has 0.61g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Does watermelon or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watercress has 4.8 times fewer carbohydrates than watermelon - watermelon has 7.6g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in watermelon are made of 90% sugar and 10% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 70% dietary fiber and 30% sugar.
Does watermelon or watercress contain more calcium?
Watercress is a rich source of calcium and it has 16 times more calcium than watermelon - watermelon has 7mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
Does watermelon or watercress contain more potassium?
Watercress is a rich source of potassium and it has 200% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.