Although watercress is not a very popular vegetable, its benefits cannot be doubted. Apart from containing many beneficial nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals, these vegetables are also low in calories, fat free, and rich in antioxidants.
The benefits of watercress are numerous. Various types of important substances and nutrients contained in these vegetables are believed to have a good effect on maintaining a healthy body and preventing various diseases.
It has a slightly spicy taste, you can enjoy watercress in soup preparations, various types of potato dishes, with eggs, or you can also use it as a filling for spring rolls and your favorite stir-fried vegetable mixture.
Various Benefits of Watercress
The following are the various benefits of watercress that you need to know:
1. Prevent chronic disease
Watercress is useful as a source of natural antioxidants, such as phenols and flavonoids. Even in one study, watercress outperformed several other types of vegetables in total phenol count, diversity of flavonoids, and antioxidant activity.
In the human body, these antioxidants play an important role in protecting the body from cell damage caused by free radicals, so that the body is protected from various chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
2. Reducing the risk of cancer
Green leafy vegetables, such as watercress, are one of the top food choices for fighting cancer. Apart from its high antioxidant activity, watercress is also thought to protect you from cancer thanks to the isothiocyanate content in it.
Isothiocyanate is a chemical compound that is active when watercress is bitten or cut. These compounds have been shown to protect body cells from damage, inhibit the activity of carcinogenic substances that enter the body, and prevent tumor growth and spread.
3. Strengthens bones
One of the benefits of watercress that is equally important is that it helps strengthen bones. Watercress contains many minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, which are necessary for healthy bones.
Additionally, one serving (35 grams) of watercress contains more than 100% of your daily vitamin K requirement. This vitamin is a part of protein which is important for maintaining bone density and preventing various risks of bone disease, such as hip fracture and osteoporosis.
4. Increase body immunity
Watercress is also a good source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system. Vitamin C has been shown to increase the production of white blood cells that can fight and reduce the risk of infection.
5. Maintain eye health
Apart from vitamin C, watercress also contains vitamin A which is useful for maintaining eye health. Several studies have also shown that the antioxidant content of lutein and zeaxanthin in watercress is very important to protect the eyes from various damages that can cause blindness.
6. Prevent dehydration
The human body relies heavily on water to carry out its functions properly. Not only by drinking, consumption of fruits and vegetables which are high in water content can also keep the water content in the body sufficient. As the name implies, watercress has a very high water content so it is very well used to prevent dehydration.
After knowing the various benefits of watercress above, you can start making watercress as a source of nutrition for you and your family members at home.
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However, make sure you wash the watercress thoroughly and cook it until it’s done. It is important to avoid contamination of watercress by larvae of fasciolidae worms from sheep or cow dung. Infection of the larvae of these worms can cause dangerous liver worm infections.
In order to maximize the benefits of watercress, you need to combine this vegetable with a variety of other nutritious foods. To get the best daily nutritional dose, you can consult your doctor about combining watercress with other foods in your diet.