The Watercress is a leaf that brings health benefits such as preventing anemia, reducing blood pressure and maintaining eye and skin health. Its scientific name is Nasturtium officinalis and it can be found in open markets and markets.
Watercress is an herb with a spicy taste and can be grown at home for use in salads, juices, pâtés and teas. Its main health benefits are:
- Improve eye and skin health due to high vitamin A content;
- Strengthen the immune system by being rich in vitamin C;
- Prevent heart disease such as heart attack and atherosclerosis, because it is rich in vitamins C and K;
- Prevent anemia by being rich in folic acid;
- Strengthen the bones, due to the presence of vitamin K, which increases the absorption of calcium;
- Improve digestion and help you lose weight by being low in calories;
- Combat respiratory diseases, by having expectorant and decongestant properties;
- Potential anti-cancer effect due to the presence of antioxidants and a substance called glucosinolate.
To get these benefits, you should consume half a cup of watercress per day. See How to Use Watercress to Fight Cough.
Nutritional information
The following table gives the nutritional information for 100 g of raw watercress.
| Quantity: 100 g of watercress | |
| Energy | 23 calories |
| Proteins | 3.4 g |
| Fat | 0.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.4 g |
| Fibers | 3 g |
| Vitamin A | 325 mcg |
| Carotenes | 1948 mg |
| Vitamin C | 77 g |
| Folates | 200 mcg |
| Potassium | 230 mg |
| Phosphor | 56 mg |
| Sodium | 49 mg |
It is important to remember that excessive consumption of watercress may increase the risk of miscarriage, as well as irritations in the stomach and urinary tract, being contraindicated for women in early pregnancy and people with gastritis or kidney problems.
How to Plant at Home
Watercress is a cold climate plant that can be easily grown at home and can be used for consumption after about 15-20 days of planting. To do this, you must do the following steps:
- Place fertilizer in a small pot;
- Throw the seeds in the fertilizer and press them lightly so that they enter a little in the earth, adding only a small amount of fertilizer on them;
- Take the vase to the sunny spot and water with a water spray, only to leave the soil moist, without soaking;
- The seeds should begin to sprout in about 3 days, and the leaves can be used for consumption after about 2 to 3 weeks.
When cutting the shoots of watercress, the plant will grow again and give new leaves, a process that usually occurs 4 to 5 times. After this period, it is necessary to use new seeds for further planting.
Cress juice for the lung
This juice can be used during the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system such as cough, bronchitis and asthma.
Ingredients:
- 2 sprigs of watercress
- 200 ml orange juice
- 5 drops of propolis
How to prepare: beat all the ingredients in the blender and take 3 times a day.
Watercress can also be eaten raw in salads and cooked in soups or meat dishes giving a slightly spicy flavor to these dishes.
See more tips on using watercress to improve health:
- Home remedy for rickets
- Watercress salad recipe for Psoriasis
