Arugula vs. Cucumber

Nutrition comparison of Arugula and Cucumber


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of arugula versus cucumber (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in arugula and cucumber:

  • Arugula has more riboflavin and folate.
  • Arugula is a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
  • Arugula is an excellent source of calcium and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of arugula and cucumber is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Arugula (Arugula, raw) and Cucumber (Cucumber, with peel, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Arugula src
Image of Cucumber src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Cucumber and arugula contain similar amounts of calories - cucumber has 15 calories per 100 grams and arugula has 25 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, arugula is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and lighter in fat compared to cucumber per calorie. Arugula has a macronutrient ratio of 50:50:0 and for cucumber, 15:80:5 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Arugula Cucumber
Protein 50% 15%
Carbohydrates 50% 80%
Fat ~ 5%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both cucumber and arugula are low in carbohydrates - cucumber has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and arugula has 3.7g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in cucumber are made of 56% sugar, 28% starch and 17% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in arugula comprise of 56% sugar and 44% dietary fiber.

dietary fiber

Arugula has 220% more dietary fiber than cucumber - cucumber has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and arugula has 1.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Cucumber and arugula contain similar amounts of sugar - cucumber has 1.7g of sugar per 100 grams and arugula has 2.1g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Arugula has 297% more protein than cucumber - cucumber has 0.65g of protein per 100 grams and arugula has 2.6g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both cucumber and arugula are low in saturated fat - cucumber has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and arugula has 0.09g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Arugula is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 436% more Vitamin C than cucumber - cucumber has 2.8mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and arugula has 15mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Arugula is a great source of Vitamin A and it has 22 times more Vitamin A than cucumber - cucumber has 5ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and arugula has 119ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Cucumber and arugula contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - cucumber has 0.03mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and arugula has 0.43mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Arugula is a great source of Vitamin K and it has 562% more Vitamin K than cucumber - cucumber has 16.4ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and arugula has 108.6ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Arugula has more riboflavin and folate. Both arugula and cucumber contain significant amounts of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.

Arugula Cucumber
Thiamin 0.044 MG 0.027 MG
Riboflavin 0.086 MG 0.033 MG
Niacin 0.305 MG 0.098 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.437 MG 0.259 MG
Vitamin B6 0.073 MG 0.04 MG
Folate 97 UG 7 UG

Minerals

calcium

Arugula is an excellent source of calcium and it has 900% more calcium than cucumber - cucumber has 16mg of calcium per 100 grams and arugula has 160mg of calcium.

iron

Arugula has 421% more iron than cucumber - cucumber has 0.28mg of iron per 100 grams and arugula has 1.5mg of iron.

potassium

Arugula is an excellent source of potassium and it has 151% more potassium than cucumber - cucumber has 147mg of potassium per 100 grams and arugula has 369mg 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,

Arugula Cucumber
isorhamnetin 4.3 mg ~
kaempferol 34.89 mg 0.13 mg
Quercetin 7.92 mg 0.04 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,

Arugula Cucumber
beta-carotene 1424 UG 45 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 3555 UG 23 UG
alpha-carotene ~ 11 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, arugula has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than cucumber per 100 grams.

Arugula Cucumber
alpha linoleic acid 0.17 G 0.005 G
Total 0.17 G 0.005 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, arugula has more linoleic acid than cucumber per 100 grams.

Arugula Cucumber
linoleic acid 0.13 G 0.028 G
other omega 6 0.002 G ~
Total 0.132 G 0.028 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: Arugula (Arugula, raw) and Cucumber (Cucumber, with peel, raw) .

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FAQ

Does cucumber or arugula contain more calories in 100 grams?
Cucumber and arugula contain similar amounts of calories - cucumber has 15 calories in 100g and arugula has 25 calories.

Is cucumber or arugula better for protein?
Arugula has 300% more protein than cucumber - cucumber has 0.65g of protein per 100 grams and arugula has 2.6g of protein.

Does cucumber or arugula have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both cucumber and arugula are low in carbohydrates - cucumber has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and arugula has 3.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in cucumber are made of 60% sugar, 30% starch and 20% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in arugula comprise of 60% sugar and 40% dietary fiber.

Does cucumber or arugula contain more calcium?
Arugula is a rich source of calcium and it has 900% more calcium than cucumber - cucumber has 16mg of calcium in 100 grams and arugula has 160mg of calcium.

Does cucumber or arugula contain more potassium?
Arugula is a rich source of potassium and it has 150% more potassium than cucumber - cucumber has 147mg of potassium in 100 grams and arugula has 369mg of potassium.