Banana vs. Watercress

Nutrition comparison of Banana and Watercress


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

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

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in banana and watercress:

  • Both watercress and banana are high in potassium.
  • Banana is a great source of dietary fiber.
  • Watercress has 60.1 times less sugar than banana.
  • Watercress has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than banana, however, banana contains more alpha-carotene than watercress.
  • Watercress has more thiamin, however, banana contains more niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
  • Watercress has signficantly less calories than banana.
  • Watercress has signficantly less carbohydrates than banana.
  • Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and calcium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of banana and watercress 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: Banana (Bananas, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Banana src
Image of Watercress src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Watercress has signficantly less calories than banana - watercress has 11 calories per 100 grams and banana has 89 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, banana is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to watercress for fat. Banana has a macronutrient ratio of 5:93:3 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Banana Watercress
Protein 5% 60%
Carbohydrates 93% 34%
Fat 3% 6%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Watercress has signficantly less carbohydrates than banana - watercress has 1.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and banana has 22.8g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Banana is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 420% more dietary fiber than watercress - watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and banana has 2.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Watercress has 60.1 times less sugar than banana - watercress has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and banana has 12.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Watercress and banana contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and banana has 1.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both watercress and banana are low in saturated fat - watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and banana has 0.11g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 394% more Vitamin C than banana - watercress has 43mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and banana has 8.7mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 52 times more Vitamin A than banana - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and banana has 3ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Watercress and banana contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and banana has 0.1mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 499 times more Vitamin K than banana - watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and banana has 0.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Watercress has more thiamin, however, banana contains more niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both banana and watercress contain significant amounts of riboflavin and pantothenic acid.

Banana Watercress
Thiamin 0.031 MG 0.09 MG
Riboflavin 0.073 MG 0.12 MG
Niacin 0.665 MG 0.2 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.334 MG 0.31 MG
Vitamin B6 0.367 MG 0.129 MG
Folate 20 UG 9 UG

Minerals

calcium

Watercress is an excellent source of calcium and it has 23 times more calcium than banana - watercress has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and banana has 5mg of calcium.

iron

Watercress and banana contain similar amounts of iron - watercress has 0.2mg of iron per 100 grams and banana has 0.26mg of iron.

potassium

Both watercress and banana are high in potassium. Watercress is very similar to watercress for potassium - watercress has 330mg of potassium per 100 grams and banana has 358mg 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 banana and watercress contain small amounts of myricetin.

Banana Watercress
kaempferol 0.11 mg 23.03 mg
myricetin 0.01 mg 0.2 mg
Quercetin 0.06 mg 29.99 mg
apigenin ~ 0.01 mg
luteolin ~ 0.02 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 banana per 100 grams, however, banana contains more alpha-carotene than watercress per 100 grams.

Banana Watercress
beta-carotene 26 UG 1914 UG
alpha-carotene 25 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 22 UG 5767 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, both banana and watercress contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Banana Watercress
alpha linoleic acid 0.027 G 0.023 G
Total 0.027 G 0.023 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both banana and watercress contain small amounts of linoleic acid.

Banana Watercress
linoleic acid 0.046 G 0.012 G
Total 0.046 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 Banana or Watercress .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Banana (Bananas, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .

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FAQ

Does watercress or banana contain more calories in 100 grams?
Watercress has signficantly less calories than banana - watercress has 11 calories in 100g and banana has 89 calories.

Is watercress or banana better for protein?
Watercress and banana contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and banana has 1.1g of protein.

Does watercress or banana have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watercress has signficantly fewer carbohydrates than banana - watercress has 1.3g of carbs for 100g and banana has 22.8g of carbohydrates.

Does watercress or banana contain more calcium?
Watercress is a rich source of calcium and it has 23 times more calcium than banana - watercress has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and banana has 5mg of calcium.

Does watercress or banana contain more potassium?
Both watercress and banana are high in potassium. Watercress is very similar to watercress for potassium - watercress has 330mg of potassium in 100 grams and banana has 358mg of potassium.