Nutritional info per 100 grams
Calories 11
Sodium 41 mg
Potassium 330mg
Protein 2.3 g
Carbohydrates 1.3g
Vitamin A 63%
Vitamin C 71%
Vitamin B-6 5%
Calcium 12%
Interesting Fact
Watercress is actually classed as the most nutrition-rich vegetable on a nutrient to weight ratio. Holding the first place on the list, with the infamous health food Kale ranking in at number 15.
It is also one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by humans.
(Based on a study from the William Paterson University)
Science stuff:
Plant Family: Brassicaceae
Botanical Name: Nasturtium officinale
Plant type: Aquatic perennial
What is Water cress?
Watercress, also sometimes called yellow cress is an aquatic plant that grows native to Europe and most of Asia. It is a perennial plant, meaning that each plant lasts for more than 2 years so it can be harvested from the same place on a seasonal basis.
It is a member of the plant family Brassicaceae, which means watercress is related to mustard, radish and Japanese horseradish, also known as wasabi, this is what gives it a nice peppery taste.
Where can i find it?
The name says it all, in water. It cannot live in salt water and prefers slightly alkaline freshwater, with the best places to check being chalk streams. Any kind of water permanently flowing off a mountain or hill side is a good place to check, the plant is quite common so if you’re in an area where there’s limestone and a nearby stream, then follow it for long enough and you’ll probably find some.
Gathering
The plant is quite weak and the stems can be easily pinched through so there’s no need to bring a knife or scissors. The roots aren’t edible and the stems are quite fibrous and aren’t the nicest to eat so there’s no need to pull the plant up, just pinch off as many leaves as you like, but try to spread out the gathering over numerous plants to avoid killing any of them.
What to do with watercress?
There’s really only one thing to do with this plant, and that’s eat it raw. After gathering give the leaves a good rinse in some cold water and serve them as they are in a salad. If you cook them they just turn into mush and lose their tangy, peppery taste.
If you decide to go and gather some then know that it doesn’t keep very well. The leaves wilt very quickly and even in the fridge they wont be good for more than 2 days. There’s also no real way to preserve them other than packing them down and freezing them, but this will ruin the fresh crisp taste that makes watercress so good.
Dangers
Watercress can harbour bacteria more so than most other aquatic plants, and if the stream they are in is down flow from animal run off, then you should probably avoid it. This also goes for still water, as the plants are loved by various bugs and germs that shouldn’t be consumed, and since this plant can only really be eaten raw, its a good idea to find out how clean the water is before gathering any.
Health benefits
There are some wild claims about watercress being “the” super food, with it helping everything from weight loss to sports performance. It is however one of the healthiest types of vegetable there is, and demand has been souring in the UK for this leafy water dwelling plant.
There is even a watercress festival held yearly in the town of Alresford, England which brings in more than 15,000 people each year for a fun packed day of appreciating a plant that grows in streams.