06.07.17

Watercress - an annual or biennial herb, grows no higher than 50 centimeters. The representative of the genus Klopovnik, family Cabbage. Iran is considered the birthplace of greenery, but today culture is found in different countries of the world, including the European part of Russia.

This is a unique plant that can make any dish refined. Watercress is rich in vitamins and minerals. Greens are in demand in cooking, nutrition, cosmetology. On its basis, decoctions, tinctures, and ointments are prepared, which help in the treatment of a number of diseases.

How to choose a good product photo

The plant is sold on the market or in the vegetable departments of supermarkets.

The choice of a quality product consists of several parts:

Store the plant in the refrigerator, in a plastic container. Watercress in cut form retains its properties for two days.

Chemical composition

Watercress is rich in vitamin and mineral composition.. The following elements predominate in the plant:

• vitamin A  - improves eyesight, is necessary for healthy hair, skin, nails;
• b vitamins- participate in almost all processes of the body, are necessary for normal human life;
• vitamin C- ascorbic acid strengthens the immune system;
• vitamin k- improves blood formation. The lack of this vitamin leads to fatigue, bleeding gums, increased hemorrhage;
• vitamin PP- participates in redox reactions;
• vitamin E- necessary for the normal functioning of the reproductive systems in women and men;
• mineral elements - magnesium,.

Calorie and nutritional value

A hundred grams of green contains 32 kilocalories.  Nutritional value is calculated as follows:

• proteins - 2.6 grams;
• carbohydrates - 5.5 grams;
• fats - 0.7 grams.

The remaining percentage is water and 1 gram falls on fiber. The glycemic index of cress, like any other greens, is below 15 units.

Health Benefits

Effect on the body

Watercress - healthy and tasty greens. This is a dietary product, it is recommended to use for losing weight. The plant is a strong allergen, so it is not recommended to include it in the diet of allergy sufferers.

In the absence of contraindications, watercress can be entered in the menu, regardless of age. A rich vitamin composition will strengthen the immune system, support the body of any person.

For adult men and women

The plant is especially useful for the male population,  because it enhances sexual activity. To do this, use unripe seeds. Alcohol tincture is effective in the treatment of prostatitis.

For women, watercress is useful because it has a rejuvenating effect.. Smoothes small mimic wrinkles, refreshes the skin. Regular use of masks helps to treat skin diseases.

What is useful during pregnancy and lactation?

Greens prevent constipation, improves bowel function, gently affects his peristalsis. Due to these properties, watercress is recommended to include in the diet of pregnant women, if they are not allergic to the plant.

Watercress is a strong allergen. It can be used nursing mother, if the baby has no reaction to the product. Before the introduction of greens in the diet should consult with a pediatrician.

For kids

Entering watercress in the children's menu should be no earlier than three years. At an earlier age, the plant can adversely affect the gastric mucosa. After the first use, make sure that the baby does not have allergies.

Greens strengthen the immune system guys, regular use during the season of mass epidemics will protect against diseases. It also improves mood.

For the elderly

If there are no contraindications, watercress can be used by people of the elderly age group. Leaves of grass improve well-being, help to smooth the work of the digestive system.

The plant can be included in the menu as a prophylactic against diseases of the cardiovascular system. By lowering cholesterol, greens prevent heart attacks,  ischemic disease and strokes.

Contraindications

The product has useful fresh properties..

In dry form, it can be used in tinctures or ointments.

Contraindications include the following situations:

The plant can be eaten at any time of the day.. Usually watercress is eaten fresh, adding it to salads. Greens can be stewed, fried or boiled, if required by the recipe. Freshly harvested leaves are recommended to be eaten quickly. They can be stored in the refrigerator, in plastic containers, but not more than two days.

Greens will not bring harm to health, but do not exceed the daily rate. Adults are advised to consume no more than 100 grams of the product, children - no more than 50 grams.

How to use in cooking

Watercress is added to vegetable salads and soups, they are seasoned with cold appetizers and main dishes. The plant gives sauces and gravies a special taste and aroma.

Application in nutrition

Eating a plant is welcome in dietetics.  Greens are 90% water and fiber, which helps to improve digestion. The plant is low-calorie, its use will not affect the figure losing weight.

Young leaves contribute to the removal of excess water from the body,  toxins and slags. The rich vitamin and mineral composition of watercress will support the body.

The active substances contained in the plant, normalize the nervous system. Any diet will pass without disruption.

The product has expectorant, anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties.

Broths are useful in many diseases:

• Take three tablespoons of fresh leaves, add a glass of boiling water to them. Boil over low heat for 5-7 minutes.

  Drink a third of a glass before a meal. Helps with bronchitis, severe coughing and nervous disorders..

• Ointment recipe:  Take one part of the powder from the dried leaves and roots of watercress, mix with three parts of vaseline.

  Ointment can lubricate ulcers or damage to the skin. Before use, soak a week in a warm place.

In cosmetology

The important role is occupied by the sulfur content in the leaves of green. This element contributes to enhanced hair growth. Watercress tincture whitens the skin, lightening the pigmented areas, copes well with oily skin.

• Broth from a plant:  Take three tablespoons of fresh raw materials. Brew a glass of boiling water, insist three hours in a thermos. Wash with this solution or wipe the affected skin.
• Mask for normal skin:  take 10 leaves and mash them. Add a teaspoon of olive oil and five drops of lemon juice. Mix all ingredients, apply to cleansed face. Wash off after ten minutes, alternately changing the temperature of the water (hot and cold).

You will learn more about the benefits and possible harm of cress to health in the following video:

Watercress is a unique and unpretentious plant. Greens have beneficial properties: lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, cleanses the body of toxins, fights stress, depression and insomnia. The leaves of the plant have been used in cooking. Due to its low calorie content, it is used in dietetics. The plant is in demand in cosmetology and traditional medicine.

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Description of the useful watercress culture. Calorie and chemical composition. What a healthy effect on the body has this plant, whether it can be eaten for everyone. The use of the product in cooking - recipes for tasty and healthy dishes.

The content of the article:

Watercress or Klopovnik sowing campaign (lat. Lepidium sativum) is a vegetable plant from the Cabbage family. Homeland culture - the Middle East region, and more precisely Iran. In Egypt, Ethiopia and some regions of Asia grows wild. The plant has an interesting appearance: very thin white stems grow close to each other and are crowned with medium-sized dark green pretty leaves. However, the color of the leaves is determined by the variety, most often they are just dark green, but there can be varieties of various shades and even white and purple flowers. For food and medicinal purposes, watercress was used in ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome. Today, culture is widespread in cooking, not only in the Middle East, but also in Asia, America and Europe. Russian summer residents also often grow this plant. It is very unpretentious, but at the same time it has excellent taste and composition rich in useful components. Mainly used fresh, especially often used to create bright flavors in fresh salads, but also used as a seasoning for first and second courses. By itself, the taste of the plant resembles horseradish: it is quite bitter and spicy, but with a competent selection of related ingredients, a very tasty dish is obtained.

Composition and calorie cress

This is not the lowest calorie salad culture, but still this product is not high in calories and can be safely used even in the diet.

The caloric content of watercress is 32 kcal per 100 grams, of which:

• Proteins - 2.6 g;
• Fat - 0.7 g;
• Carbohydrates - 4.4 g;
• Water - 89.4 g;
• Dietary fiber - 1.1 g;
• Ash - 1.8 g

Pay attention to the low percentage of fat: these figures completely eliminate the use of salad even in the menu of the most strict diets. It should, however, be noted that a low percentage of fat is not the main advantage of the composition of the product. Watercress contains a huge variety of different beneficial ingredients.

Macro elements per 100 g:

• Potassium - 606 mg;
• Calcium - 81 mg;
• Magnesium - 38 mg;
• Sodium - 14 mg;
• Phosphorus - 76 mg.

Trace elements per 100 g:

• Iron - 1.3 mg;
• Manganese - 0,553 mg;
• Copper - 170 mcg;
• Selenium - 0.9 mcg;
• Zinc - 0.23 mg.

Also in the composition there are saturated fatty acids - 0.023 g per 100 grams of the product, digestible carbohydrates in the form of mono- and disaccharides - 4.4 g per 100 grams.

Useful properties of watercress

The healing properties of watercress was appreciated in ancient civilizations - Egypt, Greece, Rome. Hippocrates himself described the beneficial properties of culture, calling among them the strengthening of immunity and blood purification. Today, it is widely used in alternative medicine for the treatment of certain diseases in the Middle East region. In Africa, they even grow special varieties of watercress, which are enriched with oils. These oils are isolated from the product and based on them create various drugs.

However, it should be said that with regular use of watercress as a food product, and not as a medicine, you can count on a powerful healing effect.

Let's analyze the main beneficial effects of the plant:

1. Immunity strengthening. As part of watercress contains many vitamins and minerals, vitamin C is present in large quantities. Due to this, the plant has a strengthening effect on the body and contributes to its resistance to various diseases. In addition, the product is an excellent prevention of vitamin deficiency.
2. Beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. First of all, it applies to hypertensive patients - the plant helps to normalize blood pressure. Also, watercress in general has a beneficial effect on the heart and strengthens blood vessels. In addition, it helps to clear blood vessels from cholesterol, lipids and toxins, which is an excellent prevention of vascular diseases.
3. Diuretic effect. Watercress does not allow fluid to stagnate in the body, which is an excellent prevention of edema. In addition, the load on the gallbladder and kidneys is reduced, which prevents the development of diseases of these organs.
4. Prevention and treatment of various inflammatory processes. The product has an anti-inflammatory effect, it works as a natural broad-spectrum antibiotic and helps fight the development of various inflammations.
5. Improving the state of the endocrine system. Another important useful property of watercress is the beneficial effect on the endocrine system. It normalizes the thyroid hormones, which is important not only for the specified system, but also for the health of the whole organism.
6. Prevention and treatment of blood diseases. As we said above, Hippocrates himself considered watercress to be an excellent means for blood purification. Modern scientific experiments confirm this. The plant really has a beneficial effect on the composition of the blood, acts as an excellent means of prevention and treatment of anemia. In addition, it found substances that help preserve the structure of blood cells, which in turn is an excellent prevention of blood cancer.
7. Antioxidant effect. However, it should be said that with regular use of the plant, the probability of developing not only blood cancer, but also other types of oncology is reduced. In the majority of cases, a malignant tumor becomes the result of an excessive level of free radicals in the body. Watercress also contains many antioxidants that help normalize the level of free radicals, thereby reducing the likelihood of cancer. By the way, also antioxidants protect the body from early aging.
8. Prevention and treatment of eye diseases. There is also a beneficial effect of the plant on vision. It is believed that regular consumption of watercress not only protects against age-related vision loss, but also warns even such serious eye ailments as cataracts.
9. Beneficial effect on the nervous system. The product has an important effect on the nervous system, it stimulates brain activity, improves memory, relieves the symptoms of chronic fatigue, helps to always remain in a good mood, cope with stress and prevents the development of depression. Regular use of the plant can cure insomnia caused by psychological problems.
10. Stimulate sexual desire. The plant as a whole has a tonic effect on the body, which affects sexual desire. In addition, this product has a beneficial effect on the organs of the reproductive system, helping to prevent and treat its various diseases. Cress is especially effective in treating prostatitis.

    The use of "drugs" based on watercress in traditional medicine is a popular practice. They are used to treat a variety of diseases, but it is especially recommended as an anti-cold remedy. Firstly, because of the anti-inflammatory effect, and, secondly, because the product has a beneficial effect on the organs of the respiratory system.

    Contraindications and harm to watercress

    

    
    However, despite such a wide range of useful properties, without first being familiar with the potential harm of watercress, it is impossible to introduce it into your diet. Unfortunately, like any other product, this plant has a number of contraindications.

    The composition of the salad includes a large number of various biologically active substances that do not harm the healthy body, but can cause an ambiguous reaction in the presence of a particular disease.

    Who can not eat watercress? People suffering from severe gastrointestinal diseases and having problems with the genitourinary system. It is also worth noting that it can be harmful in severe cases of hypertension, characterized by extremely high pressure.
    With extreme caution should be introduced into the diet of allergy sufferers, as the individual intolerance to watercress components is quite common. Allergy is manifested in various ailments and rashes.

    Due to the high probability of allergy, the product is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women. Add it to the salad for a child - not a good idea either.

    In addition, it is very important to consider the issue of reasonable doses of the use of salad. Overeat it is not worth even perfectly healthy people. If you add a plant to food regularly and in considerable quantities, it can adversely affect the health of the digestive system, at a time when moderate doses, by contrast, have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. If you overeat a salad one time, the unpleasant symptoms also do not take long, it will appear, most likely, in headaches and insomnia.

    Note! If you have serious health problems that are not listed above, consult your doctor before you add watercress to your diet.

    Watercress Recipes

    

    
    At the beginning of the article we talked about the fact that the plant is mainly eaten fresh - in this form it can become part of various light salads or a useful “additive” to any sandwich. However, the use of watercress recipes is not limited to this. Often the product is used for the preparation of hot dishes - soups, vegetable stews, dishes of meat and fish. It perfectly complements omelets and other egg dishes. In general, the plant is really widely used in cooking.

    However, it is better to start with proven recipes, we suggest you to prepare one of these dishes with a healthy salad:

    1. California Salad. Boil the quinoa (4 tablespoons) in salted water, cool. Mango (1 piece), avocado (1 piece), apple (1 piece), cucumber (100 grams) cut into small cubes. Shrimp (16 pieces) clean the shells, crab meat (120 grams), disassemble into fibers. Mix olive oil (2 tablespoons) with lemon juice (3 tablespoons). Put all the prepared ingredients in a salad bowl, add watercress (20 grams), mint (10 grams), salt and pepper to taste, pour in the dressing.
    2. Green Cress and Spinach Soup. Cut celery (2 stalks), carrots (100 grams), onions (1 piece). Fry the vegetables in a large amount of vegetable oil (100 ml). Add sliced ​​champignons (50 grams), after 5 minutes tomatoes (100 grams). After another couple of minutes, add vegetable broth or water (1 liter), add thyme (1 sprig), bay leaf (1 piece), bring the soup to a boil and cook for 7 minutes. Spinach (200 grams) and watercress (100 grams) a little in a separate pan, add to the soup. Remove from heat, salt, pepper to taste, cool a little and whisk with a blender. Serve the soup with crackers and sour cream or soy mayonnaise.
    3. Lamb stew. Cherry tomatoes (6 pieces) pierce in 4-6 places with a toothpick and cover with slightly heated olive oil (70-80 ml). Add garlic (1 clove), thyme and rosemary in the oil (1 sprig). Leave the tomatoes in the marinade for 2-3 hours. In a skillet fry the chopped finely onions (100 grams), carrots (100 grams), celery (100 grams). Put tomato paste (20 grams) and pour in dry white wine (200 ml). After a couple of minutes, pour in the vegetable broth or water (1 liter), put the garlic head, with the cut off top, chopped chili pepper (1 piece), thyme and rosemary (2 sprigs each), as well as peppercorns (pinch) and bay leaf (1 thing). Fry lamb shank (1 piece) from all sides in olive oil (40 ml) on high heat in a separate frying pan, transfer to heat-resistant form, pour the sauce in the saucepan and place in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees, for one and a half hours. When the lamb is ready, put it on a separate plate, strain the sauce and simmer a little, so that it thickens. Pour the lamb sauce, serve the dish with pickled tomatoes, watercress (70 grams) and pesto sauce (you can make it yourself by breaking olive oil and basil in a blender in a ratio of 2: 1, you can also add garlic to taste).
    4. Omelet roll. Beat up eggs (4 pieces) with sugar (1 tsp), salt to taste and corn flour (1 tsp). Heat the vegetable oil in a pan (1 tablespoon). Divide the mixture into four parts, from each prepare a pancake. Prepare the filling: mix boiled rice (100 grams), bell pepper (half), cut into strips, finely chopped green onions (20 grams), watercress (50 grams), and also salmon (80 grams), cut into cubes. Put on a quarter filling for each omelet, roll into a roll.
    These are the various dishes you can cook from watercress, and it is worth noting that only a small fraction of all culinary fantasies, for which healthy greens open space. The use of watercress in cooking is unlimited - in China even desserts are made from it.

    

    
    It is not difficult to grow it, the culture is not whimsical, but loves coolness, it grows best at temperatures of about 8-11 degrees. If it becomes higher than 15 degrees, the salad begins to bloom and loses its taste, which is why it is not so easy to grow it at home. The plant is considered early ripening, the harvest is ready already 2 weeks after planting.

    For the cultivation of watercress is not needed ... the soil - it can be planted in wet cotton wool and get excellent shoots.

    The oil extracted from the plant is used not only for medicinal purposes, but also in cosmetology. It particularly well removes various skin imperfections, inflammation, allergic reactions, etc.

    In ancient Egypt, the salad was considered a powerful aphrodisiac, men always ate dishes from it before responsible dates.

    In France, the most popular is the Lambion variety of lettuce, which is distinguished by its particularly bright spicy taste.

    In Northeast Africa, culture is used as food for cattle - bulls, camels, horses.

    In our country, you can find watercress in the wild, sometimes in very "exotic" places - along the tracks and in landfills.

    Watch the video about watercress:

    
    Regardless of what watercress is eaten with, the dish is not only more original and tastier, but also increases its usefulness many times over. This is a truly unique product. However, it is very important, before trying it, to familiarize yourself with contraindications, because, like any other product, it has them.

Cress salad is a green, leafy vegetable that many grow in their home or garden. Its health benefits are to provide the body with many nutrients, vitamins and minerals that enhance immunity, prevent many diseases.

Currently, more and more people are trying to take care of their health, avoiding industrial products and giving preference in favor of natural products provided by nature itself. Many contemporaries are trying in the summer season to replenish their bodies with the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals due to the use of a variety of plant products. Indeed, it is a good way to gain strength in the winter.

Among the numerous herbaceous plants, there are those that are completely unpretentious, delight the consumer not only with originality of taste, but also with extensive beneficial properties almost all year round. These plants include cress lettuce, which is called microgreen because of its small leaf size and which is widely grown in Asia and Europe.

Cress salad what is this description

Spread from ancient times and known in the Roman Empire, watercress belongs to an annual vegetable plant, the herb of the cruciferous family of the genus Klopovnik. Possessing rather thin stems, such a salad can grow to a height of up to 50 centimeters. Although, he does not “live to such a height”, but breaks down at a young, full-grown age.

The plant blooms exclusively white or pale purple small flowers. Leaf color also varies from pronounced green to slightly yellowish.

Homeland plants consider India and the Middle East, the territory of modern Iran. True, because of its unpretentiousness to the soil, it grows quietly around the world not only in the open field, but also next to the potted flowers, sharing with them one pot.

To date, there are several varieties of plants:

• whole leaf “Ducat” (fast and late ripening variations); it is more common, has solid, not carved, not small leaves, matures in three weeks;
• curly (different green, rugged leaves and characterized by precocity);
• planting "Danish" and "fun" (refer to the early ripening varieties and have an average appearance between the previous two).

In Africa, they also developed a special variety, which differs from other high content of essential oils (that is, oilseeds).

How useful cress salad chemical composition and calorie

Despite its small size, watercress refers to a unique chemical composition of plants. And this fact is not established in vain. Indeed, in the leaves and stems of the plant there are:

• Water (up to 90%);
• Protein fractions of plant origin;
• Fat;
• Saturated fatty acids;
• Carbohydrates (mono- and disaccharides);
• Cellulose (dietary fiber);
• ash product;
• Flavonoids;
• Glycosides;
• Alkaloids;
• Essential oils;
• Retinol (vitamin A);
• Provitamin A (beta carotene);
• Tocopherol (vitamin E);
• Ascorbic acid (vitamin C);
• Vitamins from group B (thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, choline, folic and pantothenic acid);
• Vitamin K;
• Vitamin D;
• Salts of mineral substances (magnesium, iodine, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, copper, zinc, manganese and selenium).

It owes its specific taste and odor to glycoside propsoline and a bitter substance called lepidine.

The cress, along with beets and other leafy greens, contains a very high level of dietary nitrate. Studies show that nitrates help reduce high blood pressure, reduce oxygen needed during exercise and increase athletes' results.

One serving of 100 grams contains:

2.35 grams of protein

0.15 grams of fat

1.32 grams of carbohydrates

Drinking 100 grams of watercress lettuce a day can satisfy a daily need of more than:

Vitamin K - 300 percent;

In vitamin C - 70 percent;

In vitamin A - 65 percent;

In calcium - by 11 percent;

In manganese - by 11 percent;

In potassium - 8.5 percent.

In addition, 100 grams of lettuce can give the body nearly 6 percent of the daily intake of vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, magnesium and phosphorus.

The caloric value of 100 grams of the product is just over 10 kilocalories. The energy ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates has the form 33/20/55%.

Cress Salad Useful Properties

This small vegetable salad contains a number of nutrients that can reduce the risk of cancer. The bitterness that are present in it stimulates the body’s natural defenses and protects the cells of the body.

In addition to them, it contains compounds with high antioxidant capacity. These are lutein, beta-Arotin, vitamin C and other substances. They reduce the oxidative stress that free radicals can cause. The inclusion of this green vegetable crop can prevent and reduce the risk of developing breast and colon cancer.

People who consume foods low in calcium, magnesium and potassium, as research has shown, are more often at risk of having high blood pressure. It is believed that these minerals contribute to lowering blood pressure due to the release of sodium from the body and the expansion of arteries.

It is important to note that the use of these minerals in the form of supplements will not bring the same health benefits as with food. Cress salad contains all three of these beneficial minerals.

Alpha-lipoic acid, contained in it, is able to reduce the level of glucose in the blood, increases insulin sensitivity.

Like many plant foods, it helps to reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, which in turn reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and others.

Folates or folic acid are extremely important for the development of a healthy fetus and play a crucial role for normal cell division. For pregnant women, the rate of folic acid intake should be at least 400 micrograms per day to prevent the development of birth defects of the fetus and reduce the risk of congenital diseases.

Folates are also needed by older people to prevent age-related changes. Inclusion of high folate foods may prevent cognitive decline.

Most of the vitamins present in cress salad belongs to the group of water-soluble. And this means that they need to be replenished daily. These vitamins include vitamin C. It is especially important in the period of respiratory diseases. His salad more than oranges.

Cress salad benefits to the body

Despite the relative lowliness of watercress and its external dissimilarity with the usual leafy salad vegetables, many scientists attribute the plant sprouts and leaves to the source of vital energy, so necessary for a person in the autumn, winter and even the initial spring cold. Speaking about the benefits of cress salad, he is able to:

As an antioxidant, cress is recommended for women not only for oral administration (it is believed that it improves the skin condition and rejuvenates them), but externally as a juice that can be washed (the skin is moistened and nourished, it becomes more elastic and elastic) or use as a lotion.

In favor of the cress salad can be noted the fact that once it was a staple in the diet of Roman soldiers. But they had to overcome many kilometers of crossings in different parts of the world.

Cress Salad Cooking Application

Many cooks do not bypass the watercress with its spicy, and even spicy flavor, reminiscent of horseradish or mustard, when cooking a number of dishes in different directions.

According to the chefs, cut with a sharp knife greens like fresh salad goes well with egg dishes (fried eggs or scrambled eggs), meat and fish (used as seasoning), vegetable salads, potatoes (both boiled and baked), butter-based sandwiches .

Vegetarians include such greens as vegetable protein foods.

For example, in Italy cress like to serve with seafood. However, it is not recommended to consume cress leaves in dried form because of the "disappearance" of all useful properties, as well as the acquisition of an unpleasant smell and taste by the product. Only those plants are suitable for food whose stems differ in white color.

Try to make a soup with watercress salads or add it to the green at the very end of cooking.

It is most often used in salads, but can be included in pasta, sauces, like any other greens.

Choose a watercress with a deep green color and crispy leaves with no signs of wilting. Store it in the refrigerator and use it for several days after purchase.

Possible harm and contraindications

This kind of salad can not be considered harmless in full, even for quite healthy people. Therefore:

• You can not exceed the daily rate of 85 grams;
• It is worth finding out if individual intolerance exists, often showing skin irritations;
• No need to give salad to young children;
• This product is also prohibited for pregnant and breastfeeding (to a greater extent with insufficient data on its impact on the health of women and children during this period. Besides, bitterness can spoil the taste of breast milk);
• It is necessary to abandon it in the period of acute peptic ulcer or gastritis (especially with high acidity, since bitterness stimulates the production of gastric juice);
• It is contraindicated in hypotensive (even lower pressure);
• Caution should be applied to those who suffer from frequent urination.

It is necessary to refrain from it to people taking drugs for blood thinning, since it contains a lot of vitamin K.

If stored improperly, it can accumulate bacteria to turn nitrates into nitrites, which are potentially dangerous to health.

Of course, cress salad is a product that is useful for maintaining and preserving our health. But everything should be in moderation. Sometimes food can become poison and do more harm than good. Meals should be varied and must contain all products.

Watercress is an annual plant. It has long been added to food as a spice and is used to treat many ailments. To understand the benefits and harm of watercress, it is necessary to get acquainted in detail with its composition. Moreover, the application is all parts of the plant - leaves, seeds, roots.

Composition and calorie

Salad has a caloric content of 32 kcal. Green energy value: 2 g of proteins, 1 g of fat, 4 g of carbohydrates.

The benefits of watercress for the human body is priceless, thanks to a rich vitamin set and low calorie content.

The benefits of cress for health

The healing qualities of the plant were appreciated in antiquity. The leaves were used for wound healing, treatment of skin and gallstone diseases. Already modern medicine recommends watercress to improve vision, prevent eye diseases and oncology.

For men and women

Watercress benefits are invaluable for both women's and men's health. The fair sex appreciate the greens for low calorie, a positive effect on the skin and hair. And men appreciate the ability of greens to restore potency, enhance sexual treatment, treat prostatitis.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding

Women in position should also pay attention to the watercress. Greens added to salads or other dishes facilitate the removal of excess fluid from the body, improve intestinal motility and eliminate constipation.

Attention! Lactating mothers should consult a pediatrician before consuming the plant. Since this green is a strong allergen.

For kids

In order for the immune system to function normally, it is enough to add a little salad to children's dishes. The benefits of watercress for the health of the child is manifested in its tonic and anti-inflammatory qualities.

At the slightest cold symptoms, it is enough twice a day to give the child a warm infusion of leaves or use leaves as mustard plaster. Due to the mild expectorant effect, the infusion of greens will help treat a strong cough.

For the elderly

Reasonable addition of leaves to dishes will help to normalize pressure and restore restful sleep, reduce nervous tension. The benefits of greenery are also manifested in the reduction of joint pain. The use of this plant will be an excellent prevention of eye diseases and maintenance of vision.

What is useful cress for weight loss

Dishes with salad are suitable for women who want to lose weight. Low calorie, in combination with a high content of vitamins and minerals, make greens an indispensable additive for salads. What is the use of this plant? Fresh juice improves digestion and helps to eliminate toxins from the body. Therefore, weight loss occurs naturally and easily.

Use in medicine: folk recipes

• to normalize digestion, take a foliage. A glass of boiling water poured crushed leaves (25 g) and insist 25-30 minutes. Strained infusion is drunk before meals, 3 times a day, according to dessert spoon;
• cough and bronchitis are also treated with cress infusion. A glass of boiling water diluted 3 tbsp. spoons of crushed leaves. Strained infusion drink warm, 3 times a day before meals, 2 tbsp. l;
• in case of mastopathy or breast sealing, compresses from fresh leaves are used. The crushed greens are applied on the diseased area for 2-3 hours;

A special benefit of external use is the acceleration of wound healing. On the affected skin impose an ointment with watercress. For its preparation, fresh leaves are well ground and mixed with melted butter (in a ratio of 1: 5).

The use of watercress in cosmetology

The nutritional and healing properties of the plant are also manifested when used externally. The benefits of greenery are beyond doubt: the skin is smoothed and its tone is leveled, inflammatory processes stop and inflammation disappears.

With problems with hair

The use of watercress for hair due to the presence of sulfur. This element is necessary for the formation of keratin. The plant promotes hair growth, prevents their loss. The benefit is manifested in the fight against dandruff - fresh juice is rubbed into the scalp.

Face Masks

Thanks to the ability to combine plants with different products, it is easy to make a mixture for any skin type.

Basic masks:

• in acne rashes, it is recommended to cut the leaves, add a little water and slightly boil it (literally 5 minutes). The leaves are removed from the water and cooled down are applied to the face. After 5-10 minutes, remove and rinse the skin with cool water;
• benefits for oily skin: chopped leaves (2 tbsp. l) mixed with honey (1 tsp). Add egg white and impose on the face. The mask is washed off with cool water in 10-15 minutes;
• for normal skin, a mask of mashed salad in mashed potatoes (10-14 leaves), olive oil (1/2 tsp) will suit. Add 7-10 drops of lemon juice and apply on the skin for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, wash off the mixture;
• to even out skin tone, use a mixture of pounded leaves and sour milk (2 tbsp.). Mask hold for 10 minutes and wash off with cool water.

In case of spring avitaminosis, desquamation becomes a frequent skin problem. The use of watercress is manifested in the ability to eliminate this problem. A mask of 5-10 pounded leaves and heavy cream will help. Porridge mixture is applied on the face and incubated for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

As a preventive measure, you can use cosmetic ice in the summer. To do this, leaves with a little water and lemon juice are whipped with a blender to a puree-like appearance. The mixture is laid out in molds and frozen. In the morning wipe face. The main benefit is the alignment of skin color.

Cress in cooking

Thanks to the original taste, the plant is used as a savory additive for different dishes. The leaves are used in the preparation of salads, soups, sauces, casseroles, sandwiches, fresh green cocktails.

The use of the plant is preserved both in dried and stewed form:

• ground dried leaves seasoned omelet or scrambled eggs;
• fruit salads, sprinkled with dried plant, acquire an unexpected taste;
• grass flavor unobtrusively emphasize the smell of meat or fish dishes;
• lovers of cottage cheese and cheeses can also experiment with the tastes of familiar foods.

In order not to be disappointed in the plant, it is desirable to introduce it into the diet gradually. And then it will be easy to create your own original recipes for familiar dishes. Since the use of dried herbs is less, it is advisable to use it fresh.

Possible harm and contraindications

The use of watercress for the preparation of delicious dishes and masks for the face is undeniable.

But we must also take into account the damage that the plant can cause to the human body:

• this plant crop is a strong allergen. Therefore, sensitive people are advised to carefully apply. Before using the plant, it is better to make a test - apply some juice to the skin and evaluate the reaction of the body;
• hypotensive undesirable to get involved in this green because the pressure can drop dangerously;
• with the abundant addition of herbs to food, headaches and insomnia can be observed.

When using any products it is desirable to comply with the measure. And then the harm of the plant does not have to feel on your own body. The particular use of the plant is manifested due to the presence of substances that ensure the preservation of cellular structures.

Tip! Adding leaves to the daily diet reduces the risk of developing and developing blood cancer.

The choice of quality product and storage

Watercress has many varieties. The leaves can be of a different shade (even bluish or yellowish), shape. When buying the quality of greenery is primarily checked by touch.

Attention! Fresh leaves are elastic and juicy. The sheet plate must be solid, intact (without tears or holes).

It is not recommended to eat dried or sluggish leaves, since the content of nutrients in them will be minimal. Incomprehensible stains or growths can be symptoms of a plant disease, and such a product is better “bypassing”.

If you are not going to use greens right away, then it is better to wrap it in parchment or thick paper. If there are only plastic bags, it is recommended to make holes in them - for ventilation. Pre-washing greens is not recommended, otherwise wet leaves can quickly rot. The best option is a food container in which the leaves will not crumple. Store greens preferably in the refrigerator. Plucked leaves remain juicy for 5-7 days. Therefore, longer than a week to keep the greens in the refrigerator does not make sense. Frost cress for the winter better in plastic containers.

Conclusion

This plant can not be attributed to the widely advertised, so the benefits and harm of watercress is better to check personally. It is believed that a person should eat 500 g of various fruits / vegetables and greens every day. It is in fresh, unprocessed foods that most of the nutrients are stored.

This plant grows very quickly, so growing it on the windowsill is a great option to fully enrich the diet with vitamins in the winter and summer.

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The article tells about the benefits of watercress, its chemical composition and application. You will learn how to use the plant in cooking, and what harm can cause the body to uncontrolled intake of watercress for food. We will tell you how to grow watercress on a windowsill, and why it cannot be harvested for future use.

Watercress is an annual edible herb of the Cruciferous or Cabbage family. Very unpretentious in cultivation, easily tolerates a lack of sunlight, resistant to frost. Grows in the wild. Also cultivated at home, its easy. Below in the photo - cress, grown at home.

Appearance (photo) cress salad

The plant reaches a height of 30-60 centimeters. It has small, different in structure leaves. There are several varieties of watercress, which differ from each other in shape and color of the leaves. The plant begins to bloom closer to mid-summer, bears fruit from early July to November. The fruit is shaped as an oval pod.

Chemical composition

Watercress leaves contain:

• potassium;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• iron;
• magnesium;
• sulfur;
• copper;
• vitamins A, groups B, C, D, E, K, PP;
• mustard essential oil;
• fatty oil.

The individuality of the smell is provided by the glycoside propsin, which is part of mustard essential oil.

Caloric value of the plant is about 30 Kcal per 100 g of product.

Beneficial features

The beneficial effect of watercress on the cardiovascular system is confirmed. The plant normalizes blood pressure. Especially recommended for people with low blood pressure.

Watercress is used in the treatment and prevention of cancer. The plant has a healing effect on the thyroid gland and the endocrine system as a whole.

Strengthens the immune system. Recommended for people with asthma, frequent bronchitis, lung diseases. Rinsing the juice of this salad relieves sore throat and cough. Salad seed powder can be used instead of mustard in the manufacture of mustard plaster with a cold.

Useful grass during pregnancy - lettuce contains folic acid, which is important for the proper development of the fetus. The benefits of this plant are proven during the preparation for conception.

Watercress is prescribed to people with sleep disorders, depressive conditions, regular stresses.

The use of this herb protects against eye diseases, cataracts. Watercress is suitable for the prevention of diseases of the teeth and gums. With the juice of a young plant you can rinse your mouth during stomatitis, gingivitis, periodontitis.

This herb is also used in cosmetology, adding it to various masks. Beneficial effect on skin condition. Cosmetics with the addition of watercress relieve oily shine, smooth wrinkles. Juice from fresh shoots used in hair care. Effectively removes dandruff, and baths with such an ingredient relieve dermatological diseases.

Watercress ointment relieves allergies, scabies and scrofula. Used as a bactericidal and wound-healing agent.

Cooking Application

Watercress leaves have a sharp, slightly spicy taste.  One he reminds horseradish, the other - radish, the third - mustard.

In the CIS countries is not very popular. Therefore, it is logical to ask the question “Watercress - what is it and what is it eaten with?”

Watercress is consumed only fresh, added to salads, hot dishes and gravies. You can add a little green to the paste, it will give it a pleasant taste.

The plant is not prepared for the future, as the grass in the process of drying and freezing loses all its beneficial properties and acquires an unpleasant smell.

It does not tolerate heat treatment, so it is added to hot dishes just before being removed from the fire. Experienced cooks do not recommend cutting the lettuce with a knife, watercress (photo below) should be torn with your hands.

  cress salad is used only fresh

The plant goes well with:

• legumes;
• eggplants;
• fried zucchini;
• oranges;
• apples;
• fried and stewed meat;
• rice;
• pasta;
• millet porridge.

Lovers of healthy food add it to the daily diet. Fans of vegetarian food blanch cress with sugar and oil dressings, adding wine to the dish.

Young lettuce leaves resemble radish to taste, so it is used to make sandwiches and sandwiches, complementing bread with butter or cheese. It goes well with cottage cheese, soft cheeses and eggs.

Contraindications and possible harm

Watercress has a number of contraindications:

• gastritis;
• colitis;
• gastric or duodenal ulcer;
• hypotension;
• renal diseases;
• frequent urination;
• children up to 7-9 years.

If you use watercress for the first time, you should not “lean” on it. To begin with, any product should be tried in a small dose in order to determine whether there is any individual intolerance.

Possible negative reactions, which results from excessive consumption of watercress:

• allergic rash, itching;
• lower blood pressure;
• stomach upset;
• sleep loss;
• headaches.

Possible harm is observed only with excessive ingestion. When applied externally, no harmful effects were detected.

Read more about watercress salad in the video:

What to remember

1. Young shoots of the plant improve digestion, normalize the work of the intestines, remove excess water, clean up toxins and toxins. All this contributes to weight loss.
2. The plant is an aphrodisiac that stimulates reproductive function.
3. The high content of iodine in the salad is shown to normalize the functioning of the thyroid gland, effectively fights endocrine diseases.