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Arugula vs. Watercress — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

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Article author photo Elen Khachatrian by Elen Khachatrian | Last updated on July 20, 2023
Medically reviewed by Astghik Baghinyan Article author photo Astghik Baghinyan
Arugula
vs
Watercress

Summary

Although both arugula and watercress are low-calorie and low-carb foods, arugula contains relatively more calories and carbs. 

Watercress generally contains higher levels of vitamins, while arugula contains higher levels of minerals. Watercress contains 2 times more Vitamin K and 3 times more Vitamin C, while arugula contains 11 times more folate, as well as more iron, calcium, magnesium, and manganese.

Introduction

In this article, we will compare arugula and watercress in terms of nutrition and their health impact.

What's the Actual Difference?

Watercress and arugula have many similarities. They both are aquatic plants that belong to the Brassicaceae family. Arugula has a fresh, tart, bitter taste; its leaves have smoother sides and a rounded top, while watercress has a peppery flavor, similar to mustard and wasabi, and is soft, mid-green leaves with an unbroken edge and an oval shape.

Nutrition

In this section, we will look into the nutritional differences between raw arugula and raw watercress.

The recommended serving sizes of both watercress and arugula equal one cup, which corresponds to 20 grams of arugula and 34 grams of watercress.

Macronutrients and Calories

Just like most vegetables, arugula and watercress are mostly made of water. Arugula consists of 92% water, and watercress consists of 95% water. 

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Contains more Protein +12.2%
Contains more Fats +560%
Contains more Carbs +182.9%
Contains more Other +16.7%
Equal in Water - 95.11
3% 4% 92%
Protein: 2.58 g
Fats: 0.66 g
Carbs: 3.65 g
Water: 91.71 g
Other: 1.4 g
2% 95%
Protein: 2.3 g
Fats: 0.1 g
Carbs: 1.29 g
Water: 95.11 g
Other: 1.2 g
Contains more Protein +12.2%
Contains more Fats +560%
Contains more Carbs +182.9%
Contains more Other +16.7%
Equal in Water - 95.11
 

Calories

Both arugula and watercress are low in calories; however, arugula has 2 times more calories than watercress.

Arugula contains 25 calories per 100-gram serving, whereas watercress contains 11 calories per 100g.

Carbohydrates

Both watercress and arugula are low-carb foods; however, arugula contains around 3 times more carbs than watercress. 

Arugula contains 3.65g of carbs per 100g, whereas watercress contains 1.29g of carbs per 100g.

Fats

In 100-gram servings of arugula and watercress, there is less than 1g of fat. Watercress contains 0.1g of fat, and arugula contains 0.66g of fat.

Watercress and arugula have no cholesterol.

Protein

Watercress and arugula have negligible amounts of protein.

Vitamins

The vitamin content of watercress is richer than that of arugula.

Watercress contains 2 times more Vitamin K, 3 times more Vitamin C, and slightly more Vitamin A compared to arugula. On the other hand, arugula contains 11 times more folate.

Watercress falls in the top 12% of foods as a source of Vitamin A. A 100-gram serving of watercress is enough to cover your daily need for Vitamin A.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
:
Contains more Vitamin B3 +52.5%
Contains more Vitamin B5 +41%
Contains more Folate +977.8%
Contains more Vitamin A +34.5%
Contains more Vitamin E +132.6%
Contains more Vitamin C +186.7%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +104.5%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +39.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +76.7%
Contains more Vitamin K +130.2%
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 143% 9% 0% 50% 11% 20% 6% 27% 17% 73% 0% 272%
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 192% 20% 0% 144% 23% 28% 4% 19% 30% 7% 0% 625%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +52.5%
Contains more Vitamin B5 +41%
Contains more Folate +977.8%
Contains more Vitamin A +34.5%
Contains more Vitamin E +132.6%
Contains more Vitamin C +186.7%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +104.5%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +39.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +76.7%
Contains more Vitamin K +130.2%

Minerals

Arugula is richer in most minerals compared to watercress. 

Arugula contains more iron, calcium, magnesium, and manganese when compared to watercress.

Arugula and watercress also have similar amounts of other minerals, including copper, phosphorus, and potassium. 

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Contains more Calcium +33.3%
Contains more Iron +630%
Contains more Magnesium +123.8%
Contains more Potassium +11.8%
Contains less Sodium -34.1%
Contains more Zinc +327.3%
Contains more Manganese +31.6%
Contains more Phosphorus +15.4%
Contains more Selenium +200%
Equal in Copper - 0.077
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 48% 55% 34% 23% 33% 4% 13% 26% 42% 2%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 36% 8% 15% 26% 30% 6% 3% 26% 32% 5%
Contains more Calcium +33.3%
Contains more Iron +630%
Contains more Magnesium +123.8%
Contains more Potassium +11.8%
Contains less Sodium -34.1%
Contains more Zinc +327.3%
Contains more Manganese +31.6%
Contains more Phosphorus +15.4%
Contains more Selenium +200%
Equal in Copper - 0.077

Glycemic Index

Both arugula and watercress are considered low glycemic index foods.

The glycemic index of arugula and watercress are both equal to 32

Acidity

One way to understand the acidity of foods is through their potential renal acid load (PRAL) value. The PRAL value shows how much acid or base the given food produces inside the organism. 

The PRAL values of arugula and watercress are -7.9 and -5.7, respectively, which means that arugula has a greater potential to alkalize the body.

Health Impact

Cardiovascular Health

Some studies have found that nitrates widen blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure. According to one study, arugula may help lower blood pressure, which is helpful for people struggling with kidney disease (1).

Some studies have shown that high levels of carotenoids protect against the development of heart disease, as well as lower the risk of heart attack and stroke (2). Watercress is high in antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein. Low levels of these carotenoids have been linked to heart disease and hypertension.

Cancer

According to one study, arugula is exceptionally high in cancer-fighting compounds (3). In vitro studies have demonstrated that arugula extract is beneficial in targeting cancer stem cells and inhibiting cancer cell reproduction and invasion.

Watercress outperformed other greens in one study regarding total phenol content and ability to neutralize free radicals linked to oxidative stress and several cancer types (4).

Diabetes

Research indicates that eating vegetables reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Arugula is high in lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants beneficial to the eyes. Because diabetes increases your risk of eye diseases, eating plenty of lutein and zeaxanthin may help lower the risk of blindness, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and other devastating vision problems. They also aid in reducing blood pressure, which is a significant risk factor for heart disease (5).

Bone Health

Arugula contains Vitamin K and the minerals manganese and calcium, which are all critical for bone health. Numerous studies show that low calcium intake throughout life is linked to low bone mass and a high fracture rate (6). Inadequate calcium intake contributes significantly to the development of osteoporosis.

Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
Education: Nutrition & Microbiology at YSU
Last updated: July 20, 2023
Medically reviewed by Astghik Baghinyan

Infographic

Arugula vs Watercress infographic
Infographic link

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +512.5%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +811.4%
Contains less Saturated Fat -68.6%
19% 11% 70%
Saturated Fat: 0.086 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.049 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.319 g
39% 11% 50%
Saturated Fat: 0.027 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.008 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.035 g
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +512.5%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +811.4%
Contains less Saturated Fat -68.6%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Arugula Watercress
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in price ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal
Lower in Glycemic Index Equal
Rich in minerals Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Arugula Watercress Opinion
Net carbs 2.05g 0.79g Arugula
Protein 2.58g 2.3g Arugula
Fats 0.66g 0.1g Arugula
Carbs 3.65g 1.29g Arugula
Calories 25kcal 11kcal Arugula
Sugar 2.05g 0.2g Watercress
Fiber 1.6g 0.5g Arugula
Calcium 160mg 120mg Arugula
Iron 1.46mg 0.2mg Arugula
Magnesium 47mg 21mg Arugula
Phosphorus 52mg 60mg Watercress
Potassium 369mg 330mg Arugula
Sodium 27mg 41mg Arugula
Zinc 0.47mg 0.11mg Arugula
Copper 0.076mg 0.077mg Watercress
Manganese 0.321mg 0.244mg Arugula
Selenium 0.3µg 0.9µg Watercress
Vitamin A 2373IU 3191IU Watercress
Vitamin A RAE 119µg 160µg Watercress
Vitamin E 0.43mg 1mg Watercress
Vitamin C 15mg 43mg Watercress
Vitamin B1 0.044mg 0.09mg Watercress
Vitamin B2 0.086mg 0.12mg Watercress
Vitamin B3 0.305mg 0.2mg Arugula
Vitamin B5 0.437mg 0.31mg Arugula
Vitamin B6 0.073mg 0.129mg Watercress
Folate 97µg 9µg Arugula
Vitamin K 108.6µg 250µg Watercress
Tryptophan 0.03mg Watercress
Threonine 0.133mg Watercress
Isoleucine 0.093mg Watercress
Leucine 0.166mg Watercress
Lysine 0.134mg Watercress
Methionine 0.02mg Watercress
Phenylalanine 0.114mg Watercress
Valine 0.137mg Watercress
Histidine 0.04mg Watercress
Saturated Fat 0.086g 0.027g Watercress
Monounsaturated Fat 0.049g 0.008g Arugula
Polyunsaturated fat 0.319g 0.035g Arugula

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Arugula Watercress
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Calories diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet Equal

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
52%
Arugula
91%
Watercress
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
28%
Arugula
18%
Watercress

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Sugar?
Watercress
Watercress is lower in Sugar (difference - 1.85g)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Watercress
Watercress is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.059g)
Which food is cheaper?
Watercress
Watercress is cheaper (difference - $0.4)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Watercress
Watercress is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food contains less Sodium?
Arugula
Arugula contains less Sodium (difference - 14mg)
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
?
The foods have equal glycemic indexes (32)
Which food is richer in minerals?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Arugula - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169387/nutrients
  2. Watercress - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170068/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.