Lentils vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Lentils and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
lentils
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in lentils and watercress:
- Both watercress and lentils are high in potassium.
- Lentil has more niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
- Lentil is a great source of protein.
- Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and iron.
- Watercress has 14.6 times less carbohydrates than lentil.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Lentil is high in calories and watercress has 91% less calories than lentil - watercress has 11 calories per 100 grams and lentil has 116 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, lentils is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to watercress for fat. Lentils has a macronutrient ratio of 30:67:3 and for watercress, 60:34:6 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Lentils | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 30% | 60% |
| Carbohydrates | 67% | 34% |
| Fat | 3% | 6% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watercress has 14.6 times less carbohydrates than lentil - watercress has 1.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 14 times more dietary fiber than watercress - watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and lentil has 7.9g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Watercress and lentils contain similar amounts of sugar - watercress has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and lentil has 1.8g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Lentil is a great source of protein and it has 292% more protein than watercress - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both watercress and lentils are low in saturated fat - watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and lentil has 0.05g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 27 times more Vitamin C than lentil - watercress has 43mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and lentil has 1.5mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than lentil - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Watercress and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and lentil has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 146 times more Vitamin K than lentil - watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and lentil has 1.7ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Lentil has more niacin, pantothenic acid and folate. Both lentils and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin and Vitamin B6.
| Lentils | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.169 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.073 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 1.06 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.638 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.178 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 181 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Watercress is an excellent source of calcium and it has 532% more calcium than lentil - watercress has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and lentil has 19mg of calcium.
iron
Lentil is an excellent source of iron and it has 15 times more iron than watercress - watercress has 0.2mg of iron per 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.
potassium
Both watercress and lentils are high in potassium. Watercress is very similar to watercress for potassium - watercress has 330mg of potassium per 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
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,
| Lentils | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 5 UG | 1914 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 5767 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both lentils and watercress contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Lentils | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.037 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 0.037 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, lentil has more linoleic acid than watercress per 100 grams.
| Lentils | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.137 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 0.137 G | 0.012 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).
You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Lentils or Watercress .
Note: The specific food items compared are: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Cooked Lentils g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Watercress g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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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 % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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IU % | |
| MG % |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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MG % | |
| UG % |
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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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| UG % |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does watercress or lentils contain more calories in 100 grams?Lentil is high in calories and watercress has 90% less calories than lentil - watercress has 11 calories in 100g and lentil has 116 calories.
Is watercress or lentils better for protein?
Lentil is a great source of protein and it has 290% more protein than watercress - watercress has 2.3g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.
Does watercress or lentils have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watercress has 14.6 times fewer carbohydrates than lentil - watercress has 1.3g of carbs for 100g and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.
Does watercress or lentils contain more calcium?
Watercress is a rich source of calcium and it has 530% more calcium than lentil - watercress has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and lentil has 19mg of calcium.
Does watercress or lentils contain more iron?
Lentil is an abundant source of iron and it has 15 times more iron than watercress - watercress has 0.2mg of iron in 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.
Does watercress or lentils contain more potassium?
Both watercress and lentils are high in potassium. Watercress is very similar to watercress for potassium - watercress has 330mg of potassium in 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.