lyndel costain | watercress
and you | "the natural
superfood" | nutritional analysis |
vitamins, minerals and their benefits |
Per Average Portion of Fruit or Vegetables (per 80g of edible produce)
(Figures in brackets are the % of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for that nutrient - no figures, means there is no RDA for that nutrient)
| Watercress |
Broccoli (raw) |
Broccoli (boiled) |
Tomato (raw) |
Apple (raw) |
|
| Nutrient | |||||
| Calories (kcal) | 18 | 26 | 19 | 14 | 38 |
| Protein (g) | 2.4 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 |
| Fat (g) | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Fibre (g) | 1.2 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 1.4 |
| Beta-carotene (mcg) | 2016 | 460 | 380 | 451 | 14 |
| Vitamin A equivalent (mcg) | 336 (42%) | 77 (10%) | 63 (8%) | 75 (9%) | 2 (0.3%) |
| Vitamin B1 (mg) | 0.13 (9%) | 0.08 (6%) | 0.04 (3%) | 0.07 (5%) | 0.02 (2%) |
| Vitamin B6 (mg) | 0.18 (9%) | 0.11 (6%) | 0.09 (5%) | 0.11 (6%) | 0.05 (3%) |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 50 (83%) | 70 (117%) | 35 (58%) | 14 (23%) | 5 (8%) |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 1.17 (12%) | 1.04 (10%) | 0.88 (9%) | 0.98 (10%) | 0.47 (5%) |
| Folate (mcg) | 36 (18%) | 72 (36%) | 51 (26%) | 18 (9%) | 1 (0.5%) |
| Vitamin K (mcg)* | 200 | 81 | 113 | 6 | 2 |
| Calcium (mg) | 136 (17%) | 45 (6%) | 32 (4%) | 6 (0.8%) | 3 (0.4%) |
| Iodine (mcg) | 12 (8%)** | 1.6 (1%) | 1.6 (1%) | 1.6 (1%) | Not known |
| Iron (mg) | 1.8 (13%) | 1.4 (10%) | 0.8 (6%) | 0.4 (3%) | 0.1 (0.7%) |
| Magnesium (mg) | 12 (4%) | 18 (6%) | 10 (3%) | 6 (2%) | 4 (1%) |
| Manganese (mg) | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 42 (5%) | 70 (9%) | 46 (6%) | 19 (2%) | 9 (1%) |
| Potassium (mg) | 184 | 296 | 136 | 200 | 96 |
| Zinc (mg) | 0.6 (4%) | 0.5 (3%) | 0.3 (2%) | 0.1 (0.7%) | 0.1 (0.7%) |
| Lutein and Zeaxanthin (mcg)* | 4614 | 1353 | 1214 | 98 | 23 |
| Selenium (mcg) | 1.6** | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace |
| Quercetin (mcg)*** | 6000 | 2000 | 168 | 472 | 3416 |
Data Sources:
Food Standards Agency (2002) McCance & Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods, 6th Summary Edition. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry.
* U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 19, 2006.
** Direct Laboratories analysis of watercress, 2006.
*** USDA Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods, Release 2, 2006.
SUMMARY - per average portion (80g edible weight)
Compared to raw and boiled broccoli, raw tomato and a raw apple:
- Watercress is the better source of vitamins B1 and B6, vitamin E, beta-carotene and vitamin A equivalents, iron, calcium and zinc (very small differences for zinc)
- For vitamin C, magnesium, watercress is a better source than all of the others listed, except for raw broccoli (but this isn't the way that it's typically consumed in the UK)
- All are low in calories and fat.