Watermelon vs. Zucchini
Nutrition comparison of Watermelon and Zucchini
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
watermelon
versus
zucchini
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in watermelon and zucchini:
- Watermelon has more beta-carotene and lycopene than zucchini, however, zucchini contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than watermelon.
- Zucchini has more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
- Zucchini is a great source of Vitamin C and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Zucchini (Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories per 100 grams and zucchini has 17 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, watermelon is lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to zucchini per calorie. Watermelon has a macronutrient ratio of 7:90:4 and for zucchini, 24:62:14 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Watermelon | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 7% | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 90% | 62% |
| Fat | 4% | 14% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of carbs - watermelon has 7.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and zucchini has 3.1g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in watermelon are made of 94% sugar and 6% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in zucchini comprise of 71% sugar and 29% dietary fiber.
dietary fiber
Zucchini has 150% more dietary fiber than watermelon - watermelon has 0.4g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and zucchini has 1g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of sugar - watermelon has 6.2g of sugar per 100 grams and zucchini has 2.5g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of protein - watermelon has 0.61g of protein per 100 grams and zucchini has 1.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both watermelon and zucchini are low in saturated fat - watermelon has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and zucchini has 0.08g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Zucchini is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 121% more Vitamin C than watermelon - watermelon has 8.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and zucchini has 17.9mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - watermelon has 28ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and zucchini has 10ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watermelon has 0.05mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and zucchini has 0.12mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - watermelon has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and zucchini has 4.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Zucchini has more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both watermelon and zucchini contain significant amounts of thiamin and pantothenic acid.
| Watermelon | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.033 MG | 0.045 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.021 MG | 0.094 MG |
| Niacin | 0.178 MG | 0.451 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.221 MG | 0.204 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.045 MG | 0.163 MG |
| Folate | 3 UG | 24 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Zucchini has 129% more calcium than watermelon - watermelon has 7mg of calcium per 100 grams and zucchini has 16mg of calcium.
iron
Watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of iron - watermelon has 0.24mg of iron per 100 grams and zucchini has 0.37mg of iron.
potassium
Zucchini is a great source of potassium and it has 133% more potassium than watermelon - watermelon has 112mg of potassium per 100 grams and zucchini has 261mg 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 and kaempferol than zucchini per 100 grams, however, zucchini contains more quercetin than watermelon per 100 grams.
| Watermelon | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.46 mg | ~ |
| kaempferol | 0.45 mg | ~ |
| Quercetin | ~ | 0.66 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, watermelon has more beta-carotene and lycopene than zucchini per 100 grams, however, zucchini contains more lutein + zeaxanthin than watermelon per 100 grams.
| Watermelon | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 303 UG | 120 UG |
| lycopene | 4532 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 8 UG | 2125 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both watermelon and zucchini contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Watermelon | Zucchini | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.05 G | 0.03 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.001 G |
| Total | 0.05 G | 0.031 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Watermelon (Watermelon, raw) and Zucchini (Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw) .
Watermelon g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Zucchini 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 % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
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 watermelon or zucchini contain more calories in 100 grams?Watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of calories - watermelon has 30 calories in 100g and zucchini has 17 calories.
Does watermelon or zucchini have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watermelon and zucchini contain similar amounts of carbs - watermelon has 7.6g of carbs for 100g and zucchini has 3.1g of carbohydrates. the carbs in watermelon are made of 90% sugar and 10% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in zucchini comprise of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber.