Watercress is an often overlooked leafy green that packs a powerful nutrient punch. Its small, round leaves and edible stems have a peppery, slightly spicy flavor.
Why does watercress taste spicy?
The spicy flavor of watercress comes from a unique mustard oil in the plant with well-known anti-cancer properties and, most notably, these greens are found to powerfully protect our DNA.
Does watercress have a peppery taste?
The peppery piquancy is not entirely unique to watercress – a similar flavour is found in related plants like mustard and wasabi. Interestingly, once cooked the pepperiness of watercress diminishes, leaving a distinctive vegetable essence which tastes delicious in soups, stews and stir fries.
What does watercress taste like?
What Does Watercress Taste Like? Raw watercress tastes bright and fresh, though mature plants can become slightly bitter. Its somewhat peppery flavor is reminiscent of related vegetables, like mustard greens and wasabi. The leafy green loses some of its pungency when cooked.
Is all watercress peppery?
A : Raw watercress has a peppery taste, similar to other related plants like mustard and wasabi. Once cooked the pepperiness of watercress diminishes, leaving a distinctive vegetable flavour which tastes delicious in soups, stews and stir fries. More mature watercress can sometimes taste slightly bitter.
Is it safe to eat raw watercress?
Yes, absolutely – in fact watercress is best eaten raw. When the rest of us would be snacking on a biscuit, watercress growers are often seen wandering the farm chewing on fresh, uncooked watercress, and my, what a healthy bunch they are!
What are the side effects of eating watercress?
There are no known side effects of watercress at routine doses.
What greens have a peppery taste?
Its peppery flavor makes it versatile; arugula can serve as an herb or a lettuce.
Can you get liver fluke from watercress?
People usually become infected by eating raw watercress or other water plants contaminated with immature parasite larvae. The young worms move through the intestinal wall, the abdominal cavity, and the liver tissue, into the bile ducts, where they develop into mature adult flukes that produce eggs.
Why is watercress so good for you?
Watercress Health Benefits
Watercress may not be your typical fiber-rich vegetable. Still, it’s a nutrient-dense green that provides a good source of vitamin C and an excellent source of vitamin K, as well as a range of other nutrients, such as vitamin A, manganese, riboflavin and vitamin B6.
Which is healthier watercress or spinach?
Spinach is richer not only in vitamins but in minerals as well. Spinach has 15 times more iron, five times more zinc, and nearly four times more magnesium than watercress. Spinach is also richer in potassium, copper and contains higher levels of sodium.
How should watercress be eaten?
How to Eat Watercress
- Toss watercress into any salad.
- Try watercress soup.
- Saute watercress with ginger as a flavorful side dish.
- Add watercress to a sandwich.
- Include watercress in stir-fries.
- Blend watercress with fruits and vegetables into a green smoothie.
What’s the best way to eat watercress?
The simplest way to prep watercress—and the way that allows its peppery green flavor to shine best—is to toss it into a salad. You can serve it on its own with a light dressing, or toss it with other greens and veggies. Either way, you’ll want to make sure you remove the thickest stems if you’re eating it raw.
Is watercress anti inflammatory?
Provides Beneficial Anti-inflammatory Effects
Watercress is also loaded with antioxidants, which can help neutralize harmful free radicals to fight inflammation at a cellular level. These antioxidants play a key role in maintaining immune function, enhancing eye health, promoting better blood sugar control and more.
Do you eat the stems on watercress?
The entire watercress plant is edible – leaves, stalks and even the flowers. Only the roots are best discarded as they don’t taste great! Everything else can be eaten raw or added to your favourite dish to add that classic peppery flavour.
How do you get the bitterness out of watercress?
My mother-in-law, an expert of making watercress soup, once taught me her trick of how to make watercress soup without bitterness. It’s so simple. You need to add the watercress in vigorously boiling water in batches, not in warm water or anywhere not up to the boil. Then your soup won’t give you bitterness.
Who should not eat watercress?
Stay on the safe side and avoid use. Children: Watercress is LIKELY UNSAFE for use as a medicine in children, especially in those younger than four years old. Stomach or intestinal ulcers: Don’t use watercress if you have stomach or intestinal ulcers. Kidney disease: Don’t use watercress if you have kidney disease.
Does watercress detox your body?
Like most green herbs and vegetables, watercress is an excellent health booster and detox food. Firstly, watercress leaves are packed with many vital detoxifying nutrients, including several B vitamins, zinc, potassium, vitamin E and vitamin C.
Does watercress need to be washed?
Always wash your watercress in cold water before eating, especially if it was touching the water. Immersing the cress in cold water also refreshes it and makes it come back to life, an important trick to have around if it was purchased or a bit wilted.
Is watercress a laxative?
It is a powerful diuretic and natural laxative — it is a good gout and rheumatism remedy — it flushes uric acid from the system. Crushed Watercress leaves can be applied as a poultice for gout and rheumatism.
Does watercress cause weight gain?
Watercress is an aquatic plant, increasing consumption of which decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases. It leads to a healthier complexion, increases an individual’s energy and also helps in reduction of weight.