Watercress may be small, but it is one of the most nutrient-dense leafy greens around. In raw form it contains only about 1.29 g of total carbohydrates and 0.5 g of fiber per 100 g, leaving roughly 0.79 g of net carbs. If you count carbohydrates for a keto diet, low-carb meal plan, or blood sugar management, even a leafy green benefits from a quick net-carb check.
This calculator uses USDA FoodData Central values to turn your watercress serving into precise net carbs. Choose grams, ounces, cups, handfuls, or sprigs, then click Calculate. You will also see total carbs, dietary fiber, sugars, and portion weight, so you can log the details exactly as your app or diet plan expects.
Use the preset buttons for common serving sizes or enter your own amount. The tool is designed for raw watercress; cooked watercress has a different nutrition profile.
🥬 Watercress Net Carbs Calculator
Find net carbs per serving of raw watercress in seconds.
Net carbs = total carbs - fiber. Based on USDA values for raw watercress.
Quick Start Guide
Choose the serving size that matches how you measure watercress in the kitchen. Enter a number in the amount field, select a unit, and click Calculate. The preset buttons fill in common portions such as 1 cup (34 g), 1 oz (28 g), 2 cups (68 g), and 100 g (3.5 oz). If you use a food scale, grams are the most accurate unit; cups and handfuls are useful estimates when you are eating away from home.
How Net Carbs Are Calculated
Net carbs are the carbohydrates that your body can readily use for energy. The most common formula is: net carbs = total carbs - dietary fiber. Fiber is subtracted because it is not digested into glucose in the small intestine, and it does not raise blood sugar the way starch and sugar do. Watercress contains no significant sugar alcohols, so no further subtraction is needed.
The USDA FoodData Central entry for raw watercress lists 1.29 g of total carbohydrate, 0.50 g of fiber, and 0.20 g of sugar per 100 g. This means that 100 g of raw watercress has about 0.79 g of net carbs. For any portion that weighs W grams, the net carbs can be estimated as W/100 x 0.79 g. The calculator uses these USDA values for every unit conversion. If you want to see the original data, check the USDA FoodData Central listing for raw watercress.
Worked Examples
Let's walk through a few portions so you can see how the math behaves in real servings.
| Portion | Weight | Total Carbs | Fiber | Net Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 sprig | 2.5 g | 0.03 g | 0.01 g | 0.02 g |
| 1 handful (approx.) | 25 g | 0.32 g | 0.13 g | 0.20 g |
| 1 cup chopped | 34 g | 0.44 g | 0.17 g | 0.27 g |
| 100 g | 100 g | 1.29 g | 0.50 g | 0.79 g |
Because the per-gram values are small, a large 2-cup salad makes only about 0.54 g of net carbs from the watercress. That gives you plenty of room in a low-carb day for a protein-rich topping and a higher-carb vegetable like roasted carrots or tomatoes.
Watercress Nutrition Reference Table
Watercress is unusually nutrient-dense for such a low-carb vegetable. The table below summarizes typical USDA values per 100 g of raw watercress.
| Nutrient | Value per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 11 kcal |
| Total carbohydrate | 1.29 g |
| Dietary fiber | 0.50 g |
| Sugars | 0.20 g |
| Net carbs | 0.79 g |
| Protein | 2.30 g |
| Fat | 0.10 g |
| Vitamin K | ~250 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 43 mg |
| Potassium | 330 mg |
These values can vary slightly by growing conditions, harvest time, and variety, but the difference is usually not large enough to change a low-carb meal plan meaningfully.
Low-Carb and Keto Tips
- Use watercress as a bulky salad base. A 2-cup serving is very low in net carbs and adds a peppery bite.
- Add it to soups and stir-fries at the end of cooking so it keeps some texture and does not shrink into a watery pile.
- Blend a handful into a green smoothie with berries and protein powder for a low-carb boost.
- Watch the extras: dressings, seeds, croutons, and dried fruit can quickly add carbohydrate, even when the greens themselves are negligible.
- If you are comparing watercress with other leafy greens, the lettuce calorie calculator can help you estimate energy, while the vegetable sugar calculator is useful for tracking sugars in other produce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is watercress really that low in carbs? Yes. Raw watercress is mostly water and contains only about 1.29 g of total carbs per 100 g. After subtracting fiber, the net carb value is around 0.79 g per 100 g, which is far below most leafy greens and most other vegetables.
Should I subtract all of the fiber? For standard low-carb and keto counting, yes. Most calculators and apps subtract dietary fiber from total carbs because fiber is not absorbed as glucose. Some people with specific digestive conditions may choose to count part of the fiber differently, but watercress's fiber amount is small either way.
Does cooking change the net carb count? Cooking removes water, so the same weight of cooked watercress contains a higher concentration of carbohydrates per gram, and the total carb count for a portion can look different if you weigh it after cooking. The best approach is to weigh raw watercress before cooking and use raw values, or check a cooked-watercress label if you are tracking by cooked weight.
Can I eat as much watercress as I want on a keto diet? Watercress is very low in carbs, but it is not zero-calorie and it contains vitamin K along with some natural compounds. Enjoy it freely as part of a balanced diet, but consider portion size if you are following a strict calorie or macro target.