Dandelion Greens vs Garden Cress – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing dandelion greens to garden cress, we picked the dandelions.

Why?

Both are great! But…

In terms of macros, dandelion greens have more than 3x the fiber, as well as slightly more protein and carbs. An easy win here!

Looking at vitamins, dandelion greens have more of vitamins A, B1, B6, E, and K, while garden cress has more of vitamins B3, B5, B9, and C. Thus, a more modest 5:4 win for dandelion greens in this category.

When it comes to minerals, dandelion greens have more calcium, iron, and zinc, while garden cress has more manganese, potassium, and selenium. So, a tie on minerals.

One more category, polyphenols. We’d be here until next week if we listed all the polyphenols that dandelion greens have, but suffice it to say, dandelion greens have a total of 385.55mg/100g polyphenols, while garden cress has a total of 14.00mg/100g polyphenols. Grabbing a calculator, we see that this means dandelions have more than 2,750% the polyphenol content that garden cress does.

So, “eat leafy greens” is great advice, but they are definitely not all created equal! Adding up the sections makes a for a clear win for dandelion greens.

Let us take this moment to exhort: if you have any space at home where you can grow dandelions, grow them!

Not only are they great for pollinators, but also they beat the garden cress that beat well-known superfood watercress, and previously, they beat the collard greens that beat well-known superfood kale. And you can have as much as you want, for free, right there.

Want to learn more?

You might like:

21 Most Beneficial Polyphenols & What Foods Have Them

Enjoy!