The CDC thinks this green leafy vegetable the healthiest. (C.D.C.), with an impressive nutrient density score of 100 out of 100. But watercress isn’t just ranked the healthiest vegetable: It beat runner-up Chinese cabbage by more than eight points.
Nutritionists aren’t shocked. “I can believe that watercress is the ‘healthiest’ vegetable,” says Dana Ellis Hunnes, Ph.D., a senior dietitian at UCLA Medical Center and assistant teacher at the UCLA School of Public Health. Among other things, Hunnes points out that this is a “nutrient-dense” food.
Since watercress isn’t a staple in most American fridges, it’s understandable to have questions. Here’s why this vegetable is so healthy, plus how to get more on your plate.
What is watercress, and what makes it so healthy?
Watercress is a type of cruciferous vegetable that belongs in the same family as kale, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, arugula, and Brussels sprouts, says Rachel O’Connor, R.D., C.D.N., a dietitian at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
It’s also an aquatic flowering plant (hence the name) and grows in shallow water or damp soil, Hunnes says.
Watercress got top honors thanks to its perfect nutrient density score. Nutrient density is the amount of nutrients in a certain quantity of food. food to the amount of energy — or calories — it provides,” O’Connor says.
“A nutrient density score is essentially a numeric value given to rate how nutritious certain foods are,” Hunnes explains that the more nutrient-dense a food is, the more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants it has per calorie per gram.
Watercress has a few compounds, including 3,3′-diindolylmethane (D.I.M.) and sulforaphane, which have been linked to a lower risk of cancer, O’Connor says. The vegetable also has a lot of vitamin K.
While watercress contains fiber, the nutrient levels aren’t as high as in some cruciferous vegetables. For example, one cup of cooked broccoli will provide around 5 grams of fiber, while one cup of watercress provides less than 1 gram.
“Fiber is an important component to our diets for numerous reasons, so watercress should not be the only cruciferous vegetable one eats,” O’Connor says.
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Do any other vegetables come close?
The C.D.C.’s study lists over 40 “powerhouse” fruits and vegetables. While Watercress was the only one that received a perfect score, the runners-up are also worth noting. Those include:
- Chinese cabbage (91.99 points)
- Swiss chard (89.27 points)
- Beetroot (87.08 points)
- Spinach (86.43 points)
How much watercress do you need to eat?
It is generally recommended that you have fourEat five portions of fruits and veggies every day four to five servings of cruciferous vegetables a week. But you can have watercress as much as you’d like, Hunnes says. “You could eat one cupful at a time,” she says.
“You could eat it more often or less often, too.”
While you can cook watercress, it may be better to have it raw to reap the full benefits. “Watercress, like other vegetables, loses some vitamin C and B vitamins when cooked,” O’Connor says.”Vitamin C dissolves in water and is easily affected by heat.”
and it can leach out of vegetables when exposed to hot water. B vitamins are similarly heat-sensitive.” So, use it as a base for salads, toss it in a sandwich, or sprinkle it on top of a stir fry for added nutrition.
No matter how you prepare it, Hunnes stresses that you should have more than just watercress. “Even if it is the healthiest of all vegetables, it’s still better to eat a wide range of vegetables and fruits than to just stick with one,” she says.
“That allows you to get a fuller complement of nutrients.”
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