Watercress is a leafy green vegetable, and it’s time we gave it more attention. It’s an aquatic plant related to mustard, broccoli and wasabi. And like all leafy greens, it has tremendous health benefits. For instance:

It’s a good source of vitamin K, which helps keep bones strong and reduces the risk of fractures.

It’s rich in vitamins A and C, which help boost the immune system and fight infections.

It contains antioxidants like beta-carotene and other carotenoids, which helps lower the risk of cancer and heart disease.

It’s loaded with vitamin A and carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, which helps maintain good vision.

It contains calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure levels.

It’s low in calories and high in nutrients, making it a good addition to a weight loss plan.

It’s high in folate, which is beneficial during pregnancy.

It’s anti-inflammatory.

Watercress has soft, mid-green leaves which have an unbroken edge and an oval shape. The stems are crisp and slightly paler in color. The length of cut watercress from end to tip should be between 3 to 5 inches. During the early summer months small, white, edible flowers occur as part of the plant's natural life cycle.

Raw watercress has a peppery taste, similar to mustard greens and wasabi. Once cooked, its pepperiness diminishes. It’s delicious in soups, stews and is delicious wilted or stir fried. It does well in all dishes that call for spinach. It turns a little bitter, the more mature it is.

All but the roots of the plant are edible, including the flowers, and is best eaten raw as it loses a proportion of its health benefits when cooked. However, watercress adds a unique flavor to soups, stews and stir fries.

Washed watercress from the store can keep in the fridge for between four and six days, depending on the time of year. Unwashed watercress can keep for much longer. Like other leafy greens, watercress is only suitable for freezing if it’s to be used in a soup, smoothie or other cooked/blended recipe.

Bags of watercress need very little preparation before being eaten, as they’re typically pre-washed. However, if you’re using bunches, you’ll want to remove the lower half of the stems as they are likely to be tough. If you are using unwashed product, simply wash the watercress in cold water and then drain, either in a colander or using a salad spinner.

I’ll conclude with a watercress recipe. This is straightforward—a basic salad—but a simple way to get this dynamite green into the weekly meal plan and takes only about 5 minutes to make.




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    Alice Osborne
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
    Email the author! alice@dvo.com