Watercress which is a common cress or garden cress, is a dark and leafy plant growing in the slow water like small streams or spring water. It belongs to a brassica member of plant genus, therefore, its wonderful health benefits are inherited from those brassica.
So here are top 20 benefits of watercress…
- Boost immune system
Watercress is one of the best choice if want to boost your immune system. There are vitamin C galore in watercress which shall be a powerful weapon to ward off the bacteria as well as protect your body from any other diseases caused by virus and fungi.
- Mitigate symptoms of Asthma
The amount of vitamin C found in watercress can be an extremely beneficial medication for pediatric asthma. Those who consume at least 0.2 mg of vitamin C daily will be less prone to asthma.
- Improve the Iron Absorption
Due to the huge amount of vitamin C found in watercress, this leafy plant can be very useful to improve the iron intake into your body. As we know, iron is indispensable nutrient to transfer the oxygen elements from the lungs to other sections of your body.
- Lowering Oxidative Damage
The combination of vitamin C and vitamin E in watercress is considerably effective to cut down the oxidative devastation to red blood cells. It is shown that watercress has great impact on the blood’s health which in fact is maintaining a good blood’s health.
- Healthier Brain
Diseases like Alzheimer or any other brain damages will be well prevented by watercress. Moreover, watercress also provides impressive influences by improving the consequences of brain injury. And vitamin C is said to play as a significant role in neuron activity as well.
- Healthier Cardiovascular
Since watercress is a wealthy source of vitamin C, it can release antioxidant thereby, secure you from tissue damage and other diseases that are linked to cardiovascular.
- Folate
Beside vitamin C, folate is another source to be found in watercress. Folate is an important ingredient that is very beneficial for pregnant women. It protects pregnant women from birth defect as well as neural tube deficiency occurs in infants.
- Antidepressant
Thanks to its antidepressant properties, watercress now can work effectively together with neurotransmitter of the central nervous system to regulate the serotonin hormone’s production.
- Retain the cognitive function
The folate properties in watercress are useful to keep the function of cognitive ability active. It is shown that those who consume folate on a regular basis will not suffer from cognitive decline. In addition, they are also able to retain the verbal fluency as well.
- Good for pregnancy
The folate properties in watercress will be very advantageous for pregnant women since sufficient amount of folate will benefit for the development of the fetus. Moreover, the consumption of 400 mg of folate daily will mitigate the chance of having neural tube deficiency as well.
- Fight back Breast Cancer
A property name phytonutrient which is extremely beneficial to ward off the cancer especially breast cancer. This content will raise the quantity of molecules to the body’s circulatory system, thereby, it is able to fight back the breast cancer.
- Fight back colorectal cancer
Consuming watercress on a regular basis will help you to avoid colorectal cancer as well as breast cancer as mentioned earlier. The folate compound will be awarded for this prize because it has responsibility as the guardian of your body from these fatal cancers.
- Wealthy source of calcium
There’s a high amount of calcium in watercress, therefore, it is very beneficial for you to consume it. It can protect you from many diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular and diabetes. It also can prevent cardiac effects when you consume a high dose of medicines or supplements.
- Protect teeth
Thanks to its wealthy source of calcium, watercress can be consumed frequently to strengthen your teeth as well as ward off any diseases that are associated to teeth. By chewing fresh watercress, the bleeding gum will be treated as well.
- Fight back Anemia
High amount of iron found in watercress will be effective and sufficient to provide hemoglobin for your body so that you can stay away from iron deficiency and other diseases that are connected to red blood cells.
- Improve your hair condition
Minerals, vitamins and zinc are those beneficial compounds found in watercress to improve your hair condition as well as your overall well – being. Moreover, it can prevent the bacterial infection and dandruff at the same time thanks to its zinc and vitamin A.
- Prevent Hangover
Watercress when being consumed as a juice can be effective to treat the hangover feeling after a wine party. Since watercress can regulate the cleansing enzymes to detoxify your liver, you won’t feel hangover anymore.
- Prevent diarrhea
Watercress can work as a cleansing agent, so that it can prevent diarrhea. Moreover, by keeping the sufficient amount of healthy bacteria in the intestine and containing soluble fiber, the bad bacteria will be wiped away so that you can stay healthy.
- Weight loss
Since it is a vegetable, it is healthy and good for your diet when you do not want to gain any weight after having a meal. This watercress will give you sufficient amount of nutrients while do not adding so much calories into your body.
- Prevent Stroke
Consumption of watercress can help you to reinstate the fortified food that is advantageous to fight back stroke since watercress includes great amount of folate. It is highly recommended that you eat watercress frequently.
