Napa Cabbage vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Napa Cabbage and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
napa cabbage
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in napa cabbage and watercress:
- Watercress has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than napa cabbage, however, napa cabbage contains more alpha-carotene than watercress.
- Watercress has more thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, napa cabbage contains more niacin and folate.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Napa Cabbage (Cabbage, napa, cooked) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Napa cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - napa cabbage has 12 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, napa cabbage is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to watercress per calorie. Napa cabbage has a macronutrient ratio of 30:59:11 and for watercress, 67:33:0 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Napa Cabbage | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 30% | 67% |
| Carbohydrates | 59% | 33% |
| Fat | 11% | ~ |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both napa cabbage and watercress are low in carbohydrates - napa cabbage has 2.2g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Watercress has more dietary fiber than napa cabbage - watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and napa cabbage does not contain significant amounts.
sugar
Watercress and napa cabbage contain similar amounts of sugar - watercress has 0.2g of sugar per 100 grams and napa cabbage does not contain significant amounts.
Protein
protein
Napa cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - napa cabbage has 1.1g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both watercress and napa cabbage are low in saturated fat - watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and napa cabbage does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 12 times more Vitamin C than napa cabbage - napa cabbage has 3.2mg 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 11 times more Vitamin A than napa cabbage - napa cabbage has 13ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Watercress has more Vitamin E than napa cabbage - watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and napa cabbage does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin K
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has more Vitamin K than napa cabbage - watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and napa cabbage does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Watercress has more thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6, however, napa cabbage contains more niacin and folate.
| Napa Cabbage | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.005 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.025 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 0.466 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.035 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.037 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 43 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Watercress is an excellent source of calcium and it has 314% more calcium than napa cabbage - napa cabbage has 29mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Napa cabbage has 270% more iron than watercress - napa cabbage has 0.74mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
potassium
Watercress is an excellent source of potassium and it has 279% more potassium than napa cabbage - napa cabbage has 87mg of potassium per 100 grams and watercress has 330mg 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, watercress has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than napa cabbage per 100 grams, however, napa cabbage contains more alpha-carotene than watercress per 100 grams.
| Napa Cabbage | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 133 UG | 1914 UG |
| alpha-carotene | 49 UG | ~ |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | ~ | 5767 UG |
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: Napa Cabbage (Cabbage, napa, cooked) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Cooked Napa Cabbage g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Watercress g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
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 % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
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 % |
|
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 napa cabbage or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?Napa cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of calories - napa cabbage has 12 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.
Is napa cabbage or watercress better for protein?
Napa cabbage and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - napa cabbage has 1.1g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Does napa cabbage or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both napa cabbage and watercress are low in carbohydrates - napa cabbage has 2.2g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
Does napa cabbage or watercress contain more calcium?
Watercress is a rich source of calcium and it has 310% more calcium than napa cabbage - napa cabbage has 29mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
Does napa cabbage or watercress contain more potassium?
Watercress is a rich source of potassium and it has 280% more potassium than napa cabbage - napa cabbage has 87mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.