Nutrition Raw watercress is 95% water, 1%
carbohydrates, 2%
protein, and contains negligible
fat. In a reference amount of , raw watercress provides 11
calories of
food energy, and is a rich source (20% or more of the
Daily Value, DV) of
vitamin K (208% DV) and
vitamin C (48% DV), with moderate amounts (11–18% DV) of
vitamin A,
manganese, and
potassium.
Culinary Watercress leaves, stems, and fruit can be eaten raw. In China watercress is often boiled alongside pork and traditional medicinal ingredients to make a wintertime
tonic soup. In
Vietnam it is generally used raw as a component in salads. although caution should be used when collecting these in the wild because of parasites such as
giardia. As a
cruciferous vegetable, watercress contains
isothiocyanates that are partly destroyed by boiling, while the
bioavailability of its
carotenoids is slightly increased by cooking. Steaming or
microwave cooking retains these
phytochemicals somewhat better than boiling.
Traditional uses Ancient Romans thought eating the plant would cure mental illness. Twelfth-century mystic
Hildegard of Bingen thought eating it steamed and drinking the water would cure jaundice or fever. Some Native Americans used it to treat
kidney illnesses and
constipation, and it was thought by some to be an
aphrodisiac. Early
African Americans used the plant as an
abortifacient; it was believed to cause sterility as well. ==In culture==