SAEDNEWS: According to experts, spring grass, also known as Bolagh Oti, is considered the healthiest vegetable in the world.
According to the Health Desk of Saed News, watercress has a sharp, peppery flavor and was one of the important vegetables in the ancient civilizations of Greece, Iran, and Rome.
According to Good Housekeeping, a nutritional scoring system ranks vegetables based on the concentration of essential vitamins and minerals they contain. Healthy vegetables such as spinach and beet greens score around 80 points. The only vegetable to achieve a perfect score of 100 is watercress.
Watercress is closely related to cabbage, kale, radish, and mustard. It offers numerous health benefits. It contains more vitamin A and potassium than regular lettuce, and even more vitamin C than oranges.
Nutrient | Watercress | Regular Lettuce | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
Vitamin A | Higher | Lower | — |
Potassium | Higher | Lower | — |
Vitamin C | Higher | Lower | High |
The only drawback of this remarkable vegetable is that it can be difficult to find and is sold only in certain specialty markets. Younger watercress sprouts have a milder taste and tender, hollow stems, making them ideal for raw consumption and adding to salads. Mature watercress, however, has a sharp, peppery flavor and tougher stems, so it should be cooked before consumption.
Form of Watercress | Best Use |
|---|---|
Young watercress | Raw, salads |
Mature watercress | Soups, stews, stir-fries |
This vegetable can be added to stir-fried dishes, porridges, soups, and stews. However, like all vegetables, it is important not to overcook it. The longer vegetables are exposed to heat, the more vitamins they lose.
Contrary to popular belief, the best way to consume watercress is not always raw. Especially for mature watercress, cooking helps break down some of the fibrous stems, allowing more nutrients to become available. The body requires a considerable amount of time to digest and absorb this vegetable. Watercress remains in the digestive system for a long time, which is actually very beneficial for improving digestive function.
Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
Improves digestion | Stays longer in the digestive system |
Treats anemia | Rich in iron and folic acid |
Bone health | High calcium content |
Immune support | Rich in vitamin C |
Watercress is also rich in iron, calcium, and folic acid, and its consumption helps in the treatment of anemia. This vegetable naturally grows in humid and temperate environments of Asia and Europe. For this reason, many people mistake it for a weed and remain unaware of its exceptional health benefits.
