The health benefits of watercress include boosting immunity and providing thyroid support. Watercress is also treasured for itsanticancerpotential.
What is Watercress?
水cress is a mineral-rich, green leafy vegetable. It is a cruciferous plant that is native to Europe and Asia. This nutritious vegetable falls under theBrassicaceaefamily. Its health benefits are obtained from the high content of vitamins, minerals, andantioxidants.
水cress Nutrition Facts
Thephytonutrientsare where the health benefits of watercress are contained. According to theUSDA, watercress containsvitamin A,vitamin B6,vitamin B12,iron,magnesium,calcium, andphosphorus. It is low in calories and so makes for a great addition to many weight-loss diets.
水cress is an overlooked leafy green that packs a powerful nutrient punch. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
| 就是ng Size : | |
|---|---|
| Nutrient | Value |
| 水[g] | 95.11 |
| Energy[kcal] | 11 |
| Energy[kJ] | 46 |
| Protein[g] | 2.3 |
| Total lipid (fat)[g] | 0.1 |
| Ash[g] | 1.2 |
| Carbohydrate, by difference[g] | 1.29 |
| Fiber, total dietary[g] | 0.5 |
| Sugars, total including NLEA[g] | 0.2 |
| Calcium, Ca[mg] | 120 |
| Iron, Fe[mg] | 0.2 |
| Magnesium, Mg[mg] | 21 |
| Phosphorus, P[mg] | 60 |
| Potassium, K[mg] | 330 |
| Sodium, Na[mg] | 41 |
| Zinc, Zn[mg] | 0.11 |
| Copper, Cu[mg] | 0.08 |
| Manganese, Mn[mg] | 0.24 |
| Selenium, Se[µg] | 0.9 |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid[mg] | 43 |
| Thiamin[mg] | 0.09 |
| Riboflavin[mg] | 0.12 |
| Niacin[mg] | 0.2 |
| Pantothenic acid[mg] | 0.31 |
| Vitamin B-6[mg] | 0.13 |
| Folate, total[µg] | 9 |
| Folate, food[µg] | 9 |
| Folate, DFE[µg] | 9 |
| Choline, total[mg] | 9 |
| Vitamin A, RAE[µg] | 160 |
| Carotene, beta[µg] | 1914 |
| Vitamin A, IU[IU] | 3191 |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin[µg] | 5767 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)[mg] | 1 |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone)[µg] | 250 |
| 总饱和脂肪酸,[g] | 0.03 |
| 16:0[g] | 0.02 |
| 18:0[g] | 0 |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated[g] | 0.01 |
| 16:1[g] | 0 |
| 18:1[g] | 0.01 |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated[g] | 0.04 |
| 18:2[g] | 0.01 |
| 18:3[g] | 0.02 |
| Tryptophan[g] | 0.03 |
| Threonine[g] | 0.13 |
| Isoleucine[g] | 0.09 |
| Leucine[g] | 0.17 |
| Lysine[g] | 0.13 |
| Methionine[g] | 0.02 |
| Cystine[g] | 0.01 |
| Phenylalanine[g] | 0.11 |
| Tyrosine[g] | 0.06 |
| Valine[g] | 0.14 |
| Arginine[g] | 0.15 |
| Histidine[g] | 0.04 |
| Alanine[g] | 0.14 |
| Aspartic acid[g] | 0.19 |
| Glutamic acid[g] | 0.19 |
| Glycine[g] | 0.11 |
| Proline[g] | 0.1 |
| Serine[g] | 0.06 |
| Sources include :USDA | |
Health Benefits of Watercress
The major health benefits of watercress are discussed in detail below.
Anticancer Potential
TheAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutritionsuggests thatcruciferous vegetablesmay be helpful againstcancer. Watercress has may help to lower therisk of cancerby decreasing DNA damage.
Dr. Jonathan Swann et. al. from the Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, carried out research on the impact of watercress on cancer. The findings of the study suggest that it has anticancer potential and it is also capable of helping in radiotherapy.
Research published in theNutrients journalsuggests that watercress andbroccoliextracts have shown an antiproliferative effect when it comes to colorectal cancer.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Cruciferous vegetableslike watercress are shown to be beneficial in lowering LDL or badcholesterol.
TheJournal of Ethnopharmacologyhas published an article, which states that watercress has definite potential to protect yourcardiovascularhealth. It suggested that this green vegetable could help to lower the badcholesterol levels.
Studiesalso suggest that watercress helps in regulatingblood pressureas it is a rich source of nitrate.
Improves Bone Health
Studies showthatthe including of calcium-rich food such as watercress works in reducing the risk ofosteoporosis. Calcium helps to repair and build the bones by increasing the production of osteoblasts, the cells responsible for this beneficial activity.
水cress is also a good source offolate, which plays a direct role as an interactive nutrient in maintaining bone density.Post-menopausal women may also benefit from folate in their diet as a preventive againstosteoporosis.
Prevents Stroke
Including different vegetables in your diet can help you take your health to a great level. Foods like watercress have a considerable amount of carotenoids. Thesecompoundscan prevent the occurrence of chronic conditions like stroke as they have antioxidant and anti-inflammatoryproperties.
Improves Brain Health
Cruciferous vegetables like watercress are rich inisothiocyanates. Research published in 2018 in the peer-reviewed journalMolecular Nutrition & Food Researchshows that broccoli and watercress have the potential to help prevent brain disorders. Moreover, these vegetables also help in delaying brain aging.
Boosts Immunity
水cress contains a huge amount ofvitamin C, which is beneficial in improving immunity. It helps toincreasethe number of white blood cells in the body so that you are able to fight infections.
Intake of vitamin C rich food such as watercress is also beneficial in reducing the risk of blood cell damage and common colds.
Reduces Oxidative Damage to Blood Cells
Research suggests that vitamin C along withvitamin Eis effective in reducing oxidative damage to red blood cells. Though the study is based on supplements, it is also suggested that the consumption of foods such as watercress with these nutrients may be beneficial to health.
Improves Eyesight
A 2016 studysuggeststhat vitamin C might be effective in reducing the risk of cataract development. An inclusion of watercress with a good amount of vitamin C may be beneficial in protection againstcataracts.
Prevents Common Cold
Vitamin C rich food is an effective remedy for the common cold. A study on this immune protective ability of vitamin C shows that consuming food rich in vitamin C may reduce the risk of a cold by 66 %. Watercress is a good source of vitamin C.
Relieves Pediatric Asthma
Astudyon children suffering from asthma showed results of significantly increased forced expiratory volume (FEV) with vitamin C of at least 0.2g daily. These results varied with each child’s history of mold and dampness exposure. Those having no exposure saw a 37% increase and those with exposure, saw a 21% increase of FEV per second.Intake of food such as watercress may provide relief from pediatric asthma.
How to add Watercress to your diet?
You can add watercress to many dishes in your diet.
- Add some watercress to your salad and make it greener.
- Replacelettucewith watercress in your burgers and sandwiches.
- Add it to any soup of your choice.
- Make it into a pesto, just like you makebasilpesto.
Summary
水cress is a beneficial food that is a strong preventive medicine when eaten daily. Doing so affects many body systems, repairs cellular damage, and prevents cardiovascular disease and thyroid imbalance with thenutritionalvalue it imparts. The nutrients in it are also beneficial to women in the post-menopausal years to improve cognition and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
