Why has watercress received such a high rating?
According to Scott Keatley, a registered dietitian and co-founder of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy, "watercress is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants while being low in calories." One serving of this vegetable (35 g) covers 106% of the daily requirement for vitamin K, which is essential for bone health and blood clotting, as well as 17% of vitamin C, which supports immunity and skin health. Moreover, it contains 6% of the daily requirement for vitamin A, which is important for vision and immune function. Watercress is also rich in phytochemical compounds that may help protect the body from various types of cancer and antioxidants that contribute to eye health.
Other leafy vegetables also performed well. Bok choy ranked second with 91.99 points, while Swiss chard, which is beet greens, came in third with 89.27 points. Scott Keatley emphasizes that there is no need to choose between watercress, bok choy, and Swiss chard, as all of them wonderfully complement the diet with necessary nutrients.
Bok choy contains a lot of vitamins C and K, and provides about 8% of the daily requirement for folic acid, which is important for DNA repair and cell growth. Swiss chard is also impressive: its 35 g serving contains more than double the daily requirement for vitamin K and half the requirement for vitamin A.
How can you include watercress in your diet? Dietitians recommend adding this vegetable to dishes three to four times a week. Its refreshing and slightly peppery flavor pairs well with apples and walnuts in a salad, and it can also be used as a topping for soups and sandwiches or as a side dish with olive oil and lemon juice.
Keatley advises alternating watercress with Swiss chard (to provide magnesium), kale (a source of calcium), and spinach (a source of iron) to ensure the intake of all necessary nutrients. It should be noted that the high vitamin K content in watercress may affect the action of blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin. Therefore, individuals taking anticoagulants are recommended to consume greens in stable amounts rather than in large portions from time to time.
Overall, experts agree that regularly consuming watercress and other green vegetables is a simple and effective way to saturate the body with vitamins without excess calories.
