Benefits of Watercress And Its Side Effects

Watercress is a rapidly growing aquatic plant, said to be one of the oldest leaf vegetables known to man. It is a dark, leafy green vegetable which grows in spring water. It is a brassica family member along with kale, broccoli, arugula and brussel sprouts. It has a hollow stem which floats while the leafy structure has a feather-like arrangement where leaves arise from both sides of a common axis. It has a tangy, peppery flavour with crunchy stems.

Watercress was known to be a staple diet of the ancient Roman soldiers. Watercress sandwiches was a staple of the working class in England. It contains more vitamin C than an orange, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach and more folate than a banana. Watercress contains vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, calcium and phoshorous which are all required for a healthy body and mind.

Watercress is mostly used fresh in salads and may also be incorporated in pastas, casseroles and various sauces. It may also be used in soups for a subtle peppery flavour. It is also a standard ingredient for sandwiches in Britain during high tea.

Watercress contains a very high level of dietary nitrate. High intakes of dietary nitrate have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise, and enhance athletic performance. Two cups of fresh watercress (about 68 grams) contains only 7 calories.

For individuals taking blood-thinners it is important to not suddenly begin eating more or fewer foods containing vitamin K, which plays an important role in blood clotting. If improperly stored, nitrate-containing vegetable juice may accumulate bacteria that convert nitrate to nitrite and contaminate the juice.

High levels of nitrite can be potentially harmful if consumed. Very high intake of cruciferous vegetables have been found to cause a decrease in thyroid hormone function in animals. It is better to eat a diet rich in variety than to concentrate on individual foods as the key to good health.

In the United Kingdom, watercress was first commercially cultivated in 1808 by the horticulturist William Bradbery, along the River Ebbsfleet in Kent. Watercress is now grown in Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset. The town of Alresford, near Winchester, holds a Watercress Festival.

In recent years, watercress has become more widely available in the UK, at least in the southeast; it is stocked pre-packed in some supermarkets, as well as fresh by the bunch at farmers' markets and greengrocers. In the United States in the 1940s, Huntsville, Alabama, was locally known as the 'watercress capital of the world'.