Spotlight on Watercress

Watercress has been a regular feature in DA BOX for over a year now thanks to our awesome family farmers at S. Andres Hydroponics. This week we’re featuring two creamy watercress soup recipes that will be perfect for rainy fall evenings and one bright, summery watercress salad recipe if you're craving something light and refreshing. Since we get this veggie in so often, we wanted to take a minute to highlight the awesome health benefits of this peppery, versatile green.

Watercress, also known as Nasturtium officinale, is packed with vitamins and minerals and has traditionally been used as a medicinal food in countries such as Iran, Azerbaijan, Morocco and Mauritius. Numerous pharmacological studies have demonstrated its antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and cardioprotective properties. It is high in B vitamins as well as vitamins E, C and A. Additionally, it is a great natural source of potassium and calcium. We hope you are enjoying your watercress as much as we are! If you have any creative recipes or uses, please let us know.

To read more on the health benefits of watercress, check out the following sources:

[1]International-Journal-of-Medicinal-Plants-and-Natural-Products-IJMPNP-Watercress-as-a-Functional-Food-with-Protective-Effects-on-Human-Health-Against-Oxidative-Stress-A-Review-Study.pdf (researchgate.net)

[2] Chemical composition, traditional and professional use in medicine, application in environmental protection, position in food and cosmetics industries, and biotechnological studies of Nasturtium officinale (watercress) – a review - ScienceDirect