Brussels Sprouts vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Brussels Sprouts and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
brussels sprouts
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in brussels sprouts and watercress:
- Both watercress and brussels sprouts are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
- Brussels sprout has more niacin and folate.
- Brussels sprout is an excellent source of dietary fiber.
- Watercress has 5.9 times less carbohydrates than brussels sprout.
- Watercress has 74% less calories than brussels sprout.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Brussels Sprouts (Brussels sprouts, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Watercress has 74% less calories than brussels sprout - watercress has 11 calories per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 43 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, brussels sprouts is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to watercress per calorie. Brussels sprouts has a macronutrient ratio of 26:68:6 and for watercress, 67:33:0 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Brussels Sprouts | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 26% | 67% |
| Carbohydrates | 68% | 33% |
| Fat | 6% | ~ |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watercress has 5.9 times less carbohydrates than brussels sprout - watercress has 1.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 9g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Brussels sprout is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 660% more dietary fiber than watercress - watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.8g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Watercress and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of sugar - watercress has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 2.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Watercress and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both watercress and brussels sprouts are low in saturated fat - watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 0.06g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Both watercress and brussels sprouts are high in Vitamin C. Brussels sprout has 98% more Vitamin C than watercress - watercress has 43mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 85mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 321% more Vitamin A than brussels sprout - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 38ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Watercress and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 0.88mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Both watercress and brussels sprouts are high in Vitamin K. Watercress has 41% more Vitamin K than brussels sprout - watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 177ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Brussels sprout has more niacin and folate. Both brussels sprouts and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
| Brussels Sprouts | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.139 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.09 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.745 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.309 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.219 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 61 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both watercress and brussels sprouts are high in calcium. Watercress has 186% more calcium than brussels sprout - watercress has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 42mg of calcium.
iron
Brussels sprout has 600% more iron than watercress - watercress has 0.2mg of iron per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 1.4mg of iron.
potassium
Both watercress and brussels sprouts are high in potassium. Brussels sprout has 18% more potassium than watercress - watercress has 330mg of potassium per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 389mg 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, brussels sprout has more luteolin than watercress per 100 grams, however, watercress contains more kaempferol and quercetin than brussels sprout per 100 grams.
| Brussels Sprouts | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| luteolin | 0.33 mg | 0.02 mg |
| kaempferol | 0.86 mg | 23.03 mg |
| Quercetin | 1.92 mg | 29.99 mg |
| apigenin | ~ | 0.01 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,
| Brussels Sprouts | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 450 UG | 1914 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 6 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 1590 UG | 5767 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, brussels sprout has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than watercress per 100 grams.
| Brussels Sprouts | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.099 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 0.099 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both brussels sprouts and watercress contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Brussels Sprouts | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.045 G | 0.012 G |
| other omega 6 | 0.001 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.046 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: Brussels Sprouts (Brussels sprouts, raw) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Brussels Sprouts g
()
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Daily Values (%) |
Watercress g
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5% | calories | 5% |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does watercress or brussels sprouts contain more calories in 100 grams?Watercress has 70% less calories than brussels sprout - watercress has 11 calories in 100g and brussels sprout has 43 calories.
Is watercress or brussels sprouts better for protein?
Watercress and brussels sprouts contain similar amounts of protein - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and brussels sprout has 3.4g of protein.
Does watercress or brussels sprouts have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watercress has 5.9 times fewer carbohydrates than brussels sprout - watercress has 1.3g of carbs for 100g and brussels sprout has 9g of carbohydrates.
Does watercress or brussels sprouts contain more calcium?
Both watercress and brussels sprouts are high in calcium. Watercress has 190% more calcium than brussels sprout - watercress has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and brussels sprout has 42mg of calcium.
Does watercress or brussels sprouts contain more potassium?
Both watercress and brussels sprouts are high in potassium. Brussels sprout has 20% more potassium than watercress - watercress has 330mg of potassium in 100 grams and brussels sprout has 389mg of potassium.