Watercress is a vegetable with amazing health benefits due to its high levels of phytochemicals known as isothiocyanates, the same disease fighting components found in broccoli and cabbage. In fact, watercress is also a member of the cruciferous vegetable family known for their health properties. Studies have shown that watercress has the potential to arrest cancerous tumor growth and may help to prevent macular degeneration of the eye. It also is being investigated for its potential to prevent coronary artery disease. With all of these healthy properties, it's important to add more watercress in your diet. If you're confused on how to prepare and eat this underappreciated vegetable, here's how to master the art of eating watercress:
Prepare It Properly
Watercress is easy to prepare. Simply rinse it thoroughly in cold water and use a kitchen knife to cut off the stems. Blot the watercress dry using paper towels or you can use a standard salad spinner. You can eat it raw or lightly steam it. Unfortunately, exposure to heat may inactivate one of the most important isothiocyanates found in watercress known as PEITC, so it's best to eat it raw for health purposes.
Add Watercress to Sandwiches
Watercress is frequently used to add a bit of flavor and crunch to tea sandwiches. Try chopping raw watercress into small pieces and mix it with cream cheese and chives. Spread it on to whole grain bread and add some fresh cucumber slices for a light and tasty sandwich. Watercress can be added to sandwiches of any type to add extra flavor and make them healthier.
Add It to Salads
Watercress adds flavor and nutrient power to salads of all types. Preparation can be as simple as adding freshly prepared watercress to your standard salads or you can design salads around a watercress theme. Watercress tastes particularly delicious when combined with cucumbers and a touch of fennel. Add a sweet lime dressing and you have a satisfying and healthy start to a meal. Consider using sweet fruits such as papaya, pomegranate, mandarins, or pear in a watercress salad to balance watercress's peppery taste. You'll be adding nutritional value and antioxidant punch with almost no additional calories.
Add It to Soups
Watercress can add a delicious flavor to soups. Simply chop up the watercress into find pieces and cook it in chicken or vegetable stock. Puree in a blender or food processor and use it to prepare a batch of healthy soup. Add a variety of herbs and spices for additional flavor or puree boiled potatoes or peas along with the watercress to create a delicious potato-watercress or potato-pea soup.
Add It to Pizza
A quick and simple way to add the health preserving properties of watercress to your diet is to add it to your next pizza. A nice combination is a pizza with ricotta cheese, tomatoes, watercress, fresh basil, and a little pancetta. Healthy and delicious!
Other ways to enjoy watercress include using it in your next heart healthy smoothie, add it to your next omelette or stir fry, or use it as a beautiful, edible garnish. You'll discover so many ways to benefit from this nutritionally rich vegetable.
