1. Antioxidants

A lot of vegetables are useful for providing the skin with much-needed antioxidants, but watercress is perhaps a surprising source of those vital chemicals. The Lutein and Zeaxanthin content are reasons to eat watercress because they help maintain clear and youthful skin. Lutein is also efficacious in eye health. If a watercress salad isn’t part of your diet, then you are missing a trick.

2. Aphrodisiac

One of the best reasons to eat watercress is its aphrodisiac properties. On some Greek islands, watercress recipes have been passed down the generations to help with conceiving children.

3. Hangover Cure

If you’ve ever suffered from a hangover, you’ve probably tried everything: sugary foods, fried foods and even more alcohol. However, one of the best hangover cures is watercress; I bet you didn’t expect to see that on a list of why watercress is good for you! Just blend together a handful of watercress with your favourite fruit juice to help alleviate the symptoms of a good night out; it’s simple and effective, perfect for a hangover cure.

4. Brain Food

We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for your brain development, but it seems that watercress is even better than we might think. In Ancient Greece, watercress was not just used to help with children, but also was believed to be a food that aided intellectual stimulation.

5. Few Calories

Watercress is exceptionally low in both calories and fats. A whole bowl full, weighing around 80 grams, will only cost you 18 calories while also counting as a vegetable portion. One of the benefits of watercress is that not only is it a lovely addition to salads, but it’s also very healthy!

6. Beating Cancer

Watercress, along with broccoli, cauliflower, rocket, cabbage, sprouts and radishes are believed to contain properties which help to prevent cancer. These phytochemicals are the subject of scientific studies searching for ways of preventing and treating cancer. The reasons for eating more watercress are just piling up!

7. Breast Cancer Prevention

While on the subject of cancer, British scientists are conducting research into the specific benefits of watercress in preventing breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, with around 12% of women in the West being diagnosed in their lifetime.

8. Beta-carotene

Yet another of the benefits of and reasons to eat more watercress is that it’s packed with beta-carotene, a substance which helps to keep your eyes and skin healthy and fresh. You can forget the expensive face treatments; it seems that watercress is more than enough to help your skin retain its youthful shine. Even in the 17th century they knew of the properties – Francis Bacon, a contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I, claimed that it was watercress which gave women a “youthful bloom.”

9. Vitamins

Of course, watercress is a great source of many key vitamins which are crucial to children’s development. While apples and tomatoes are the typical key foods to help with children’s nutrition, cress could well be a great addition. It can provide iron, manganese, zinc and calcium, as well as vitamins E, C, B1, B6 and K.

10. Pregnancy Help

Another of the reasons why watercress is good for you is because of the vital vitamins – such as folic acid – which is essential to women during pregnancy. You can easily incorporate it into a many meals, and it’s much cheaper than the vitamin pills that you will otherwise be required to take.

Are you convinced of the reasons to eat watercress? Will it now feature on your grocery list?