Iceberg Lettuce vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Iceberg Lettuce and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
iceberg lettuce
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in iceberg lettuce and watercress:
- Watercress has more riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, iceberg lettuce contains more folate.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Iceberg lettuce and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - iceberg lettuce has 14 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, iceberg lettuce is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to watercress per calorie. Iceberg lettuce has a macronutrient ratio of 21:70:9 and for watercress, 67:33:0 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Iceberg Lettuce | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 21% | 67% |
| Carbohydrates | 70% | 33% |
| Fat | 9% | ~ |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both iceberg lettuce and watercress are low in carbohydrates - iceberg lettuce has 3g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in iceberg lettuce are made of 62% sugar and 38% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 71% dietary fiber and 29% sugar.
dietary fiber
Iceberg lettuce has 140% more dietary fiber than watercress - iceberg lettuce has 1.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Iceberg lettuce and watercress contain similar amounts of sugar - iceberg lettuce has 2g of sugar per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Iceberg lettuce and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - iceberg lettuce has 0.9g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both iceberg lettuce and watercress are low in saturated fat - iceberg lettuce 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 14 times more Vitamin C than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 2.8mg 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 540% more Vitamin A than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 25ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Iceberg lettuce and watercress contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - iceberg lettuce has 0.18mg 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 937% more Vitamin K than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 24.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Watercress has more riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, iceberg lettuce contains more folate. Both iceberg lettuce and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin and niacin.
| Iceberg Lettuce | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.041 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.025 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.123 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.091 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.042 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 29 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Watercress is an excellent source of calcium and it has 567% more calcium than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 18mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Iceberg lettuce and watercress contain similar amounts of iron - iceberg lettuce has 0.41mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
potassium
Watercress is an excellent source of potassium and it has 134% more potassium than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 141mg 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, both iceberg lettuce and watercress contain small amounts of apigenin, luteolin and myricetin.
| Iceberg Lettuce | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| apigenin | 0.13 mg | 0.01 mg |
| luteolin | 0.03 mg | 0.02 mg |
| kaempferol | 0.15 mg | 23.03 mg |
| myricetin | 0.06 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Quercetin | 1.42 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,
| Iceberg Lettuce | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 299 UG | 1914 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 4 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 277 UG | 5767 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, iceberg lettuce has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than watercress per 100 grams.
| Iceberg Lettuce | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.052 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 0.052 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both iceberg lettuce and watercress contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Iceberg Lettuce | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.021 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 0.021 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: Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Iceberg Lettuce g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Watercress 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 % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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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 % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
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 iceberg lettuce or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?Iceberg lettuce and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - iceberg lettuce has 14 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.
Is iceberg lettuce or watercress better for protein?
Iceberg lettuce and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - iceberg lettuce has 0.9g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Does iceberg lettuce or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both iceberg lettuce and watercress are low in carbohydrates - iceberg lettuce has 3g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in iceberg lettuce are made of 60% sugar and 40% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 70% dietary fiber and 30% sugar.
Does iceberg lettuce or watercress contain more calcium?
Watercress is a rich source of calcium and it has 570% more calcium than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 18mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
Does iceberg lettuce or watercress contain more potassium?
Watercress is a rich source of potassium and it has 130% more potassium than iceberg lettuce - iceberg lettuce has 141mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.