Bok Choy vs. Watercress

Nutrition comparison of Bok Choy and Watercress


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

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

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

  • Both watercress and bok choy are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium and potassium.
  • Bok choy has more niacin and folate, however, watercress contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K.
Detailed nutritional comparison of bok choy 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: Bok Choy (Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Bok Choy src
Image of Watercress src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of calories - watercress has 11 calories per 100 grams and bok choy has 13 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, bok choy is much lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to watercress per calorie. Bok choy has a macronutrient ratio of 39:53:8 and for watercress, 67:33:0 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Bok Choy Watercress
Protein 39% 67%
Carbohydrates 53% 33%
Fat 8% ~
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both watercress and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - watercress has 1.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in watercress are made of 71% dietary fiber and 29% sugar, whereas the carbs in bok choy comprise of 54% sugar and 46% dietary fiber.

dietary fiber

Bok choy has 100% more dietary fiber than watercress - watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and bok choy has 1g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of sugar - watercress has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

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

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Both watercress and bok choy are high in Vitamin C. Watercress is very similar to watercress for Vitamin C - watercress has 43mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and bok choy has 45mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Both watercress and bok choy are high in Vitamin A. Bok choy has 39% more Vitamin A than watercress - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and bok choy has 223ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.09mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 449% more Vitamin K than bok choy - watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and bok choy has 45.5ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Bok Choy Watercress
Thiamin 0.04 MG 0.09 MG
Riboflavin 0.07 MG 0.12 MG
Niacin 0.5 MG 0.2 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.088 MG 0.31 MG
Vitamin B6 0.194 MG 0.129 MG
Folate 66 UG 9 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both watercress and bok choy are high in calcium. Watercress has 14% more calcium than bok choy - watercress has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.

iron

Bok choy has 300% more iron than watercress - watercress has 0.2mg of iron per 100 grams and bok choy has 0.8mg of iron.

potassium

Both watercress and bok choy are high in potassium. Watercress has 31% more potassium than bok choy - watercress has 330mg of potassium per 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg 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, bok choy has more apigenin than watercress per 100 grams, however, watercress contains more kaempferol and quercetin than bok choy per 100 grams. Both bok choy and watercress contain small amounts of luteolin and myricetin.

Bok Choy Watercress
apigenin 0.24 mg 0.01 mg
luteolin 0.09 mg 0.02 mg
kaempferol 4.33 mg 23.03 mg
myricetin 0.03 mg 0.2 mg
Quercetin 2.06 mg 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, both bok choy and watercress contain significant amounts of beta-carotene.

Bok Choy Watercress
beta-carotene 2681 UG 1914 UG
alpha-carotene 1 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 40 UG 5767 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Bok Choy Watercress
alpha linoleic acid 0.055 G 0.023 G
Total 0.055 G 0.023 G

omega 6s

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

Bok Choy Watercress
linoleic acid 0.042 G 0.012 G
Total 0.042 G 0.012 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: Bok Choy (Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .

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FAQ

Does watercress or bok choy contain more calories in 100 grams?
Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of calories - watercress has 11 calories in 100g and bok choy has 13 calories.

Is watercress or bok choy better for protein?
Watercress and bok choy contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and bok choy has 1.5g of protein.

Does watercress or bok choy have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both watercress and bok choy are low in carbohydrates - watercress has 1.3g of carbs for 100g and bok choy has 2.2g of carbohydrates. the carbs in watercress are made of 70% dietary fiber and 30% sugar, whereas the carbs in bok choy comprise of 50% sugar and 50% dietary fiber.

Does watercress or bok choy contain more calcium?
Both watercress and bok choy are high in calcium. Watercress has 10% more calcium than bok choy - watercress has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and bok choy has 105mg of calcium.

Does watercress or bok choy contain more potassium?
Both watercress and bok choy are high in potassium. Watercress has 30% more potassium than bok choy - watercress has 330mg of potassium in 100 grams and bok choy has 252mg of potassium.