Watercress soup is incredibly easy to make, is gluten-free, is packed with glorious veggies and gives a nutritional punch to any mealtime.

Jamie Oliver’s very easy and quick-to-make recipe is an favourite of mine

Here’s some interesting facts about Watercress:

• Watercress is rich in polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids, and proanthocyanidins).  Polyphenols are health-enriching metabolites that are antioxidants, reduce DNA damage and are anticancer.
• Watercress is high in potassium, beta carotene and folate.
• Watercress belongs to Brassicaceae family and is officially named Nasturtium officinale L.
• Found mainly in Asia, Europe, India and Africa, Watercress can be sourced in Australia at certain times of the year.  Check your local farmer’s markets to source this aquatic, leafy plant.
• Watercress is helpful towards regulating glucose and cholesterol in the body.

References.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand. (2021). F009532: Watercress, raw. https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/Pages/fooddetails.aspx?PFKID=F009532

Panahi Kokhdan, E., Khodabandehloo, H., Ghahremani, H., & Doustimotlagh, A. H. (2021). A Narrative Review on Therapeutic Potentials of Watercress in Human Disorders. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2021, 5516450. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5516450