Cucumber vs. Zucchini

Nutrition comparison of Cucumber and Zucchini


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

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

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cucumber and zucchini:

  • Zucchini has more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
  • Zucchini is a great source of Vitamin C and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of cucumber and zucchini 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: Cucumber (Cucumber, with peel, raw) and Zucchini (Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Cucumber src
Image of Zucchini src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Cucumber and zucchini contain similar amounts of calories - cucumber has 15 calories per 100 grams and zucchini has 17 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, cucumber is lighter in protein, heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to zucchini per calorie. Cucumber has a macronutrient ratio of 16:80:5 and for zucchini, 24:62:14 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Cucumber Zucchini
Protein 16% 24%
Carbohydrates 80% 62%
Fat 5% 14%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both cucumber and zucchini are low in carbohydrates - cucumber has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and zucchini has 3.1g of carbohydrates.

The carbs in cucumber are made of 56% sugar, 28% starch and 17% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in zucchini comprise of 71% sugar and 29% dietary fiber.

dietary fiber

Zucchini has 100% more dietary fiber than cucumber - cucumber has 0.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and zucchini has 1g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Cucumber and zucchini contain similar amounts of sugar - cucumber has 1.7g of sugar per 100 grams and zucchini has 2.5g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Cucumber and zucchini contain similar amounts of protein - cucumber has 0.65g of protein per 100 grams and zucchini has 1.2g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both cucumber and zucchini are low in saturated fat - cucumber has 0.04g of saturated fat per 100 grams and zucchini has 0.08g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Zucchini is a great source of Vitamin C and it has 539% more Vitamin C than cucumber - cucumber has 2.8mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and zucchini has 17.9mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Cucumber and zucchini contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - cucumber has 5ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and zucchini has 10ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Cucumber and zucchini contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - cucumber has 0.03mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and zucchini has 0.12mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Cucumber and zucchini contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - cucumber has 16.4ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and zucchini has 4.3ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Zucchini has more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both cucumber and zucchini contain significant amounts of thiamin and pantothenic acid.

Cucumber Zucchini
Thiamin 0.027 MG 0.045 MG
Riboflavin 0.033 MG 0.094 MG
Niacin 0.098 MG 0.451 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.259 MG 0.204 MG
Vitamin B6 0.04 MG 0.163 MG
Folate 7 UG 24 UG

Minerals

calcium

Cucumber and zucchini contain similar amounts of calcium - cucumber has 16mg of calcium per 100 grams and zucchini has 16mg of calcium.

iron

Cucumber and zucchini contain similar amounts of iron - cucumber has 0.28mg of iron per 100 grams and zucchini has 0.37mg of iron.

potassium

Zucchini is a great source of potassium and it has 78% more potassium than cucumber - cucumber has 147mg of potassium per 100 grams and zucchini has 261mg 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,

Cucumber Zucchini
kaempferol 0.13 mg ~
Quercetin 0.04 mg 0.66 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,

Cucumber Zucchini
beta-carotene 45 UG 120 UG
alpha-carotene 11 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 23 UG 2125 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

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

Cucumber Zucchini
alpha linoleic acid 0.005 G 0.061 G
Total 0.005 G 0.061 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both cucumber and zucchini contain small amounts of linoleic acid.

Cucumber Zucchini
linoleic acid 0.028 G 0.03 G
other omega 6 ~ 0.001 G
Total 0.028 G 0.031 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 Cucumber or Zucchini .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Cucumber (Cucumber, with peel, raw) and Zucchini (Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw) .

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FAQ

Does cucumber or zucchini contain more calories in 100 grams?
Cucumber and zucchini contain similar amounts of calories - cucumber has 15 calories in 100g and zucchini has 17 calories.

Does cucumber or zucchini have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both cucumber and zucchini are low in carbohydrates - cucumber has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and zucchini has 3.1g of carbohydrates. the carbs in cucumber are made of 60% sugar, 30% starch and 20% dietary fiber, whereas the carbs in zucchini comprise of 70% sugar and 30% dietary fiber.