Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)

38_watercress Leaves_smweb

Common Names
Watercress (En); cresson d’eau, cresson de fontaine (Fr); berro (Sp); 豆瓣菜, 西洋菜
(Cn)

Plant Distribution
East, Southeast, and West Asia, Indian Ocean islands, Europe, Northeast Africa

Edible Parts
Pungent tender shoots or leaves are eaten in soup, salad, or as a garnish and condiment.

Health values
Beta-carotene: medium; vitamin E: low; riboflavin: low; folic acid: high; ascorbic acid: extremely high; calcium: medium; iron: medium; protein: 2.1%. Leaves also contain phenethyl isothiocyanate (glucosinolate).

Read more: Watercress, in Discovering Indigenous Treasures: Promising Indigenous Vegetables from Around the World. 2009. AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center