Scallion vs. Watercress

Nutrition comparison of Scallion and Watercress


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

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

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

  • Both scallion and watercress are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
  • Scallion has more niacin and folate, however, watercress contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Scallion is a great source of dietary fiber.
  • Watercress has 4.6 times less carbohydrates than scallion.
  • Watercress has 66% less calories than scallion.
  • Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
Detailed nutritional comparison of scallion 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: Scallion (Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Scallion src
Image of Watercress src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Watercress has 66% less calories than scallion - scallion has 32 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, scallion is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to watercress per calorie. Scallion has a macronutrient ratio of 19:76:5 and for watercress, 67:33:0 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Scallion Watercress
Protein 19% 67%
Carbohydrates 76% 33%
Fat 5% ~
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Watercress has 4.6 times less carbohydrates than scallion - scallion has 7.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

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

sugar

Scallion and watercress contain similar amounts of sugar - scallion has 2.3g of sugar per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Scallion and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - scallion has 1.8g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

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

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Both scallion and watercress are high in Vitamin C. Watercress has 129% more Vitamin C than scallion - scallion has 18.8mg 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 220% more Vitamin A than scallion - scallion has 50ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Scallion and watercress contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - scallion has 0.55mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Both scallion and watercress are high in Vitamin K. Watercress has 21% more Vitamin K than scallion - scallion has 207ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

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

Scallion Watercress
Thiamin 0.055 MG 0.09 MG
Riboflavin 0.08 MG 0.12 MG
Niacin 0.525 MG 0.2 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.075 MG 0.31 MG
Vitamin B6 0.061 MG 0.129 MG
Folate 64 UG 9 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both scallion and watercress are high in calcium. Watercress has 67% more calcium than scallion - scallion has 72mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.

iron

Scallion has 640% more iron than watercress - scallion has 1.5mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.

potassium

Both scallion and watercress are high in potassium. Watercress has 20% more potassium than scallion - scallion has 276mg 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,

Scallion Watercress
kaempferol 1.36 mg 23.03 mg
Quercetin 10.68 mg 29.99 mg
apigenin ~ 0.01 mg
luteolin ~ 0.02 mg
myricetin ~ 0.2 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,

Scallion Watercress
beta-carotene 598 UG 1914 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 1137 UG 5767 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Scallion Watercress
alpha linoleic acid 0.004 G 0.023 G
Total 0.004 G 0.023 G

omega 6s

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

Scallion Watercress
linoleic acid 0.07 G 0.012 G
Total 0.07 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: Scallion (Onions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .

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FAQ

Does scallion or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?
Watercress has 70% less calories than scallion - scallion has 32 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.

Is scallion or watercress better for protein?
Scallion and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - scallion has 1.8g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.

Does scallion or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watercress has 4.6 times fewer carbohydrates than scallion - scallion has 7.3g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.

Does scallion or watercress contain more calcium?
Both scallion and watercress are high in calcium. Watercress has 70% more calcium than scallion - scallion has 72mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.

Does scallion or watercress contain more potassium?
Both scallion and watercress are high in potassium. Watercress has 20% more potassium than scallion - scallion has 276mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.