Russet Potato vs. Watercress
Nutrition comparison of Russet Potato and Watercress
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
russet potato
versus
watercress
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in russet potato and watercress:
- Both russet potato and watercress are high in potassium.
- Watercress has 13 times less carbohydrates than russet potato.
- Watercress has 6.1 times less calories than russet potato.
- Watercress has more riboflavin, however, russet potato contains more niacin and Vitamin B6.
- Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Watercress has 6.1 times less calories than russet potato - russet potato has 79 calories per 100 grams and watercress has 11 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, russet potato is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to watercress for fat. Russet potato has a macronutrient ratio of 11:89:1 and for watercress, 67:33:0 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Russet Potato | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 11% | 67% |
| Carbohydrates | 89% | 33% |
| Fat | 1% | ~ |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Watercress has 13 times less carbohydrates than russet potato - russet potato has 18.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in russet potato are made of 89% starch, 7% dietary fiber and 3% sugar, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 71% dietary fiber and 29% sugar.
dietary fiber
Russet potato has 160% more dietary fiber than watercress - russet potato has 1.3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and watercress has 0.5g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Russet potato and watercress contain similar amounts of sugar - russet potato has 0.62g of sugar per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Russet potato and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - russet potato has 2.1g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both russet potato and watercress are low in saturated fat - russet potato has 0.03g of saturated fat per 100 grams and watercress has 0.03g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 654% more Vitamin C than russet potato - russet potato has 5.7mg 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 more Vitamin A than russet potato - watercress has 160ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and russet potato does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Russet potato and watercress contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - russet potato has 0.01mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and watercress has 1mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Watercress is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 137 times more Vitamin K than russet potato - russet potato has 1.8ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and watercress has 250ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Watercress has more riboflavin, however, russet potato contains more niacin and Vitamin B6. Both russet potato and watercress contain significant amounts of thiamin, pantothenic acid and folate.
| Russet Potato | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.082 MG | 0.09 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.033 MG | 0.12 MG |
| Niacin | 1.035 MG | 0.2 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.301 MG | 0.31 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.345 MG | 0.129 MG |
| Folate | 14 UG | 9 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Watercress is an excellent source of calcium and it has 823% more calcium than russet potato - russet potato has 13mg of calcium per 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
iron
Russet potato has 330% more iron than watercress - russet potato has 0.86mg of iron per 100 grams and watercress has 0.2mg of iron.
potassium
Both russet potato and watercress are high in potassium. Russet potato has 26% more potassium than watercress - russet potato has 417mg 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,
| Russet Potato | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 5 UG | 5767 UG |
| beta-carotene | ~ | 1914 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, watercress has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than russet potato per 100 grams.
| Russet Potato | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.01 G | 0.023 G |
| Total | 0.01 G | 0.023 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both russet potato and watercress contain small amounts of linoleic acid.
| Russet Potato | Watercress | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.032 G | 0.012 G |
| Total | 0.032 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: Russet Potato (Potatoes, russet, flesh and skin, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) and Watercress (Watercress, raw) .
Russet Potato 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 % |
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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% |
|
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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| G % |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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UG % | |
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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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| UG % |
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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 russet potato or watercress contain more calories in 100 grams?Watercress has 6.1 times less calories than russet potato - russet potato has 79 calories in 100g and watercress has 11 calories.
Is russet potato or watercress better for protein?
Russet potato and watercress contain similar amounts of protein - russet potato has 2.1g of protein per 100 grams and watercress has 2.3g of protein.
Does russet potato or watercress have more carbohydrates?
By weight, watercress has 13 times fewer carbohydrates than russet potato - russet potato has 18.1g of carbs for 100g and watercress has 1.3g of carbohydrates. the carbs in russet potato are made of 90% starch, 10% dietary fiber and 0% sugar, whereas the carbs in watercress comprise of 70% dietary fiber and 30% sugar.
Does russet potato or watercress contain more calcium?
Watercress is a rich source of calcium and it has 820% more calcium than russet potato - russet potato has 13mg of calcium in 100 grams and watercress has 120mg of calcium.
Does russet potato or watercress contain more potassium?
Both russet potato and watercress are high in potassium. Russet potato has 30% more potassium than watercress - russet potato has 417mg of potassium in 100 grams and watercress has 330mg of potassium.