The characteristic taste of watercress is due to the mustard oils it contains. As a marsh and water plant, watercress grows best on and near water. Its hollow shoots can reach a length of up to 80 centimeters, and it has round leaves that grow on both sides of the stem (pinnately compound leaf structure). Watercress stimulates metabolism and is considered a natural antibiotic. In cooking, it can be used to season a wide variety of cold and warm dishes.
Culinary uses:
Watercress has a spicy to slightly bitter taste and gives salads and raw vegetables a tangy, peppery flavor. Along with the leaves and stems, the roots, seeds, and blossoms can also be eaten raw. Since watercress has such an intensive flavor, it is best not to use it in combination with other spicy ingredients. It goes well with fruits such as apples and oranges and is a nice addition to marinades, potato dishes, and steamed vegetables. Watercress soup served with mashed potatoes is considered a delicacy. Finely chopped, the leaves can be added to pestos, green smoothies, herb sauces, or spinach. The leaves and flowers can be used as a decorative garnish. In the past, watercress seeds were used in breads, as pepper salt, and ground into mustard.1,2
Gathering wild watercress:
Watercress grows best along chalk streams (wide and shallow streams that are clear and alkaline). The green shoots float on the surface of the water and can spread to form a carpet-like covering. Watercress can be gathered from clean bodies of water in the springtime; it is best to transport them in a bag or bucket with water to preserve the flavor. Before using, you should wash the leaves well as insect larvae or cysts of the liver fluke can adhere to them.1 The leaves and white flowers can be harvested from May to October and the seeds can be harvested starting in September.2
Growing watercress at home:
To grow watercress at home, it is best to pot it in a mixture of sand, garden soil, and compost. It is also important to make sure that watercress, an aquatic plant species, always has a source of fresh, oxygen-rich water. If you want to plant it in the garden, clay soil is most suitable because it retains moisture well. Since watercress needs light to germinate, gently press the seeds in the soil without covering them with soil. However, watercress should not be planted in direct sunlight as it thrives in semi-shaded areas. Watercress can be harvested as soon as it has reached 10 centimeters.3
Storage:
Watercress can be stored at room temperature for only one day. However, you can store it in the refrigerator (3 to 5 °C) wrapped in plastic for a week.4
Nutritional information:
Watercress is 95 % water and supplies the body with flavonoids, iodine, and minerals such as calcium and iron. In addition, it is a good source of several vitamins including vitamins A, K, B2, and C. The characteristic taste of watercress is due to the mustard oils (glucosinolates) it contains.1,2
Health aspects:
Fresh watercress acts as a diuretic, promotes digestion, and stimulates metabolism. In addition, the mustard oils (glucosinolates) have properties of a natural antibiotic. There is also evidence that watercress possesses anticarcinogenic effects.1, 2 Studies have shown that watercress juice provides a high level of protection against benzo(a)pyrene-induced DNA damage in human cells.5 Benzo(a)pyrene, which is only transformed into a toxic substance once in the body, is one of the longest known and most studied carcinogenic substances.6
Use as a medicinal plant:
In traditional medicine, watercress is used in the treatment of catarrhs, urinary tract diseases, and skin diseases as well as to promote bile secretion and support inflammatory processes in the mouth and throat.2
General information:
From Wikipedia: Watercress is an aquatic plant species with the botanical name Nasturtium officinale. This should not be confused with the profoundly different and unrelated group of plants with the common name of nasturtium, within the genus Tropaeolum.
Watercress is a rapidly growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plant native to Europe and Asia, and one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by humans. It is a member of the family Brassicaceae, botanically related to garden cress, mustard, radish, and wasabi—all noteworthy for their piquant flavor.
The hollow stems of watercress will float; the leaf structure is pinnately compound. Small, white and green flowers are produced in clusters and are frequently visited by insects, especially hoverflies such as Eristalis flies.7
Cultivation:
Cultivation of watercress is practical on both a large-scale and a garden-scale. Being semi-aquatic, watercress is well-suited to hydroponic cultivation, thriving best in water that is slightly alkaline. It is frequently produced around the headwaters of chalk streams. In many local markets, the demand for hydroponically grown watercress exceeds supply, partly because cress leaves are unsuitable for distribution in dried form, and can only be stored fresh for a short period.
Watercress can be sold in supermarkets in sealed plastic bags, containing a little moisture and lightly pressurised to prevent crushing of contents. This has allowed national availability with a once-purchased storage life of one to two days in chilled or refrigerated storage. Also sold as sprouts, the edible shoots are harvested days after germination. If unharvested, watercress can grow to a height of 50 to 120 centimetres (1 1⁄2–4 ft). Like many plants in this family, the foliage of watercress becomes bitter when the plants begin producing flowers.7
Concerns:
Watercress crops grown in the presence of manure can be an environment for parasites such as the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica. By inhibiting cytochrome P450 (CYP2E1), compounds in watercress may alter drug metabolism in individuals on certain medications such as "chlorzoxazo..".7
Literature/Sources:
- Bundeszentrum für Ernährung. Scharf-würzige Brunnenkresse, bzfe.de/inhalt/scharf-wuerzige-brunnenkresse-30100.html
- Fleischhauer, Steffen Guido; Guthmann, Jürgen, Spiegelberger, Roland: Enzyklopädie. Essbare Wildpflanzen. 2000 Pflanzen Mitteleuropas. 1. Auflage (2013); AT Verlag. Aarau.
- Gartenjournal. Kann man Brunnenkresse im Topf anbauen?, gartenjournal.net/brunnenkresse-anbau-im-topf
- Wikipedia. Echte Brunnenkresse, de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Echte_Brunnenkresse
- Kassie F et al. Effects of garden and water cress juices and their constituents, benzyl and phenethyl isothiocyanates, towards benzo(a)pyrene-induced DNA damage: a model study with the single cell gel electrophoresis/Hep G2 assay. Chem Biol Interact. 06.01.2003;142(3):285-96.
- Wikipedia. Benzo(a)pyren, de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Benzo(a)pyren
- Wikipedia. Watercress, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Watercress
Nutrient tables
The complete nutritional information, coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in the following nutrient tables.
Nutritional Information
|
per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Energy | 11 kcal 46 kJ | 0.6% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 2000kcal |
Fat/Lipids | 0.10 g | 0.1% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 70g |
Saturated Fats | 0.03 g | 0.1% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 20g |
Carbohydrates (inc.dietary fiber) | 1.3 g | 0.5% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 270g |
Sugars | 0.20 g | 0.2% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 90g |
Fiber | 0.50 g | 2.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 25g |
Protein/Albumin | 2.3 g | 4.6% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 50g |
Cooking Salt (Na:41.0 mg) | 104 mg | 4.3% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 2.4g |
Essential micronutrients with the highest proportions | per 100g | 2000 kcal | |
---|---|---|---|
Vit | Vitamin K | 250 µg | 333.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 75 µg |
Vit | Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 43 mg | 54.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 80 mg |
Vit | Vitamin A, as RAE | 160 µg | 20.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 µg |
Elem | Potassium, K | 330 mg | 17.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2'000 mg |
Elem | Calcium, Ca | 120 mg | 15.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg |
Prot | Threonine (Thr, T) | 0.13 g | 14.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.93 g |
Prot | Tryptophan (Trp, W) | 0.03 g | 12.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.25 g |
Min | Manganese, Mn | 0.24 mg | 12.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2.0 mg |
Vit | Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 0.12 mg | 9.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.4 mg |
Vit | Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0.13 mg | 9.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.4 mg |
Detailed micronutrients and daily requirement coverage per 100g
Explanations of nutrient tables in general
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
Essential fatty acids | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Alpha-Linolenic acid; ALA; 18:3 omega-3 | 0.02 g | 1.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the CH-EDI-Verordnung: 2.0 g |
Linoleic acid; LA; 18:2 omega-6 | 0.01 g | < 0.1% Recommended daily allowance according to the CH-EDI-Verordnung: 10 g |
Essential amino acids | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Threonine (Thr, T) | 0.13 g | 14.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.93 g |
Tryptophan (Trp, W) | 0.03 g | 12.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.25 g |
Isoleucine (Ile, I) | 0.09 g | 8.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.2 g |
Valine (Val, V) | 0.14 g | 8.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.6 g |
Leucine (Leu, L) | 0.17 g | 7.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 2.4 g |
Lysine (Lys, K) | 0.13 g | 7.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.9 g |
Phenylalanine (Phe, F) | 0.11 g | 7.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.6 g |
Methionine (Met, M) | 0.02 g | 2.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.93 g |
Vitamins | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Vitamin K | 250 µg | 333.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 75 µg |
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 43 mg | 54.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 80 mg |
Vitamin A, as RAE | 160 µg | 20.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 µg |
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 0.12 mg | 9.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.4 mg |
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0.13 mg | 9.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.4 mg |
Thiamine (vitamin B1) | 0.09 mg | 8.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.1 mg |
Vitamin E, as a-TEs | 1.0 mg | 8.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 12 mg |
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) | 0.31 mg | 5.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 6.0 mg |
Folate, as the active form of folic acid (née vitamin B9 and | 9.0 µg | 5.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 200 µg |
Niacin (née vitamin B3) | 0.20 mg | 1.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 16 mg |
Vitamin D | 0 µg | < 0.1% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 5.0 µg |
Essential macroelements (macronutrients) | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Potassium, K | 330 mg | 17.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2'000 mg |
Calcium, Ca | 120 mg | 15.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg |
Phosphorus, P | 60 mg | 9.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 700 mg |
Magnesium, Mg | 21 mg | 6.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 375 mg |
Sodium, Na | 41 mg | 5.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg |
Essential trace elements (micronutrients) | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Manganese, Mn | 0.24 mg | 12.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2.0 mg |
Copper, Cu | 0.08 mg | 8.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.0 mg |
Selenium, Se | 0.90 µg | 2.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 55 µg |
Iron, Fe | 0.20 mg | 1.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 14 mg |
Zinc, Zn | 0.11 mg | 1.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 10 mg |
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