Chia Seeds vs. Watercress

Nutrition comparison of Chia Seeds and Watercress


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

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

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

  • Both watercress and chia seeds are high in calcium and potassium.
  • Chia seed has more thiamin, niacin and folate, however, watercress contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
  • Chia seed is an excellent source of dietary fiber, iron and protein.
  • Watercress has 122.3 times less saturated fat than chia seed.
  • Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
Detailed nutritional comparison of chia seeds 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: Chia Seeds (Seeds, chia seeds, dried) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Chia Seeds src
Image of Watercress src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Chia seed is high in calories and watercress has 98% less calories than chia seed - watercress has 11 calories per 100 grams and chia seed has 486 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, chia seeds is much lighter in protein, much heavier in fat and similar to watercress for carbs. Chia seeds has a macronutrient ratio of 13:33:54 and for watercress, 67:33:0 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Chia Seeds Watercress
Protein 13% 67%
Carbohydrates 33% 33%
Fat 54% ~
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Chia seed is high in carbohydrates and watercress has 97% less carbohydrates than chia seed - watercress has 1.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and chia seed has 42.1g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Chia seed is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 67 times more dietary fiber than watercress - watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and chia seed has 34.4g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Watercress and chia seeds contain similar amounts of sugar - watercress has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and chia seed does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Chia seed is an excellent source of protein and it has 619% more protein than watercress - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and chia seed has 16.5g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Watercress has 122.3 times less saturated fat than chia seed - watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and chia seed has 3.3g of saturated fat.

trans fat

Both chia seeds and watercress are low in trans fat - chia seed has 0.14g of trans fat per 100 grams and watercress does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 25 times more Vitamin C than chia seed - watercress has 43mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and chia seed has 1.6mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than chia seed - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and chia seed does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Watercress and chia seeds contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and chia seed has 0.5mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has more Vitamin K than chia seed - watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and chia seed does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Chia seed has more thiamin, niacin and folate, however, watercress contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6. Both chia seeds and watercress contain significant amounts of riboflavin.

Chia Seeds Watercress
Thiamin 0.62 MG 0.09 MG
Riboflavin 0.17 MG 0.12 MG
Niacin 8.83 MG 0.2 MG
Pantothenic acid ~ 0.31 MG
Vitamin B6 ~ 0.129 MG
Folate 49 UG 9 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both watercress and chia seeds are high in calcium. Chia seed has 426% more calcium than watercress - watercress has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and chia seed has 631mg of calcium.

iron

Chia seed is an excellent source of iron and it has 37 times more iron than watercress - watercress has 0.2mg of iron per 100 grams and chia seed has 7.7mg of iron.

potassium

Both watercress and chia seeds are high in potassium. Chia seed has 23% more potassium than watercress - watercress has 330mg of potassium per 100 grams and chia seed has 407mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Chia Seeds Watercress
alpha linoleic acid 17.83 G 0.023 G
Total 17.83 G 0.023 G

omega 6s

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

Chia Seeds Watercress
other omega 6 0.093 G ~
linoleic acid 5.835 G 0.012 G
Total 5.928 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: Chia Seeds (Seeds, chia seeds, dried) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .

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FAQ

Does watercress or chia seeds contain more calories in 100 grams?
Chia seed is high in calories and watercress has 100% less calories than chia seed - watercress has 11 calories in 100g and chia seed has 486 calories.

Is watercress or chia seeds better for protein?
Chia seed is a fantastic source of protein and it has 620% more protein than watercress - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and chia seed has 16.5g of protein.

Does watercress or chia seeds have more carbohydrates?
By weight, chia seed is high in carbohydrates and watercress has 100% fewer carbohydrates than chia seed - watercress has 1.3g of carbs for 100g and chia seed has 42.1g of carbohydrates.

Does watercress or chia seeds contain more calcium?
Both watercress and chia seeds are high in calcium. Chia seed has 430% more calcium than watercress - watercress has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and chia seed has 631mg of calcium.

Does watercress or chia seeds contain more iron?
Chia seed is an abundant source of iron and it has 37 times more iron than watercress - watercress has 0.2mg of iron in 100 grams and chia seed has 7.7mg of iron.

Does watercress or chia seeds contain more potassium?
Both watercress and chia seeds are high in potassium. Chia seed has 20% more potassium than watercress - watercress has 330mg of potassium in 100 grams and chia seed has 407mg of potassium.