It is the healthiest food in the world according to the US CDC.

Science has dethroned kale as the healthiest food in the world, leaving the crown to a new superfood: watercress, which due to its many health benefits, this dark green plant led the ranking of the scientific journal Prevention of chronic diseases.

Watercress is an aquatic plant that grows wild in rivers, ditches and drinking water sources. It is closely related to cabbage, kale, radishes and mustard. Its scientific name Nasturtium officinale translates to “clumsy nose” in Latin because of its flavor.

It is a fleshy plant, barely two spans high, which usually also appears lying on the surface of the water. Watercress leaves are more like basil in size or smaller, but It has an intense, bitter and even slightly pungent flavor, which gives a very particular taste to food.

The study prepared by researchers from William Paterson University, located in New Jersey, United States, which was published by the Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention (CDC for its acronym in English), assigned nutrient density scores to 41 fruits and vegetables to see which topped the rankings.

Watercress got all the attention, scoring 100 out of 100 due to its concentration of vitamins and minerals essential for health. Among the usual suspects were spinach, chard and beet greens, which have scores in the 80s. But the only one that managed to get the perfect score was watercress.

This superfood is characterized by being extremely rich in nutrients and although its flavor is not its greatest strength, it is advantageous to include it in the menu because it It provides vitamin A, C, E, folate, thiamin, calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorus. Putting things into perspective, watercress has more vitamin A and potassium than typical lettuce and contains more vitamin C than an orange.

“Watercress has many health benefits,” Dr. Amy Lee, Nucific’s director of nutrition, told the portal. Prevention . Watercress helps case of anemia to nourish pregnant women thanks to its high content of iron and folic acid, improves kidney health takes care of the skin, prevents hair loss, fights constipation, strengthens the immune system and prevents diseases such as lung cancer and the esophagus.

In addition, watercress is good for the heart because it contains antioxidants, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein. It should be noted that low levels of these carotenoids in humans are associated with heart disease and high blood pressure, making their consumption essential.

Studies have also shown that they reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, and their consumption improves the health of blood vessels by reducing inflammation and decreasing stiffness and thickness.

Despite all these benefits, the only downside is that it can be hard to find. So, if you manage to get your hands on watercress, you better stock up on it so you can include it in your diet. anyway later We tell you how to grow them at home, but first, how to cook them?

Dr Lee told Prevention that young watercress shoots have a milder flavor and tender, hollow stems, so the ideal is to take advantage of them for raw preparations such as adding them to salads or in the same way that you would use coriander or parsley.

However, mature watercress becomes more difficult to handle, acquiring a much more intense and spicy flavor, with tough and fibrous stems, so they must be cooked to pass to the palate.

Dr. Lee says it’s important not to overcook them: “The longer you cook vegetables, the more vitamins leak out,” she says. “It seeps into the cooking liquid and all that’s left is the vegetables and nothing else.” This should be a careful time as, through cooking, some fibrous stems break off and help make more nutrients bioavailable.

In Qué Pasa we leave you some ideas for cooking the healthiest foods in the world:

• Sautéed watercress: Heat a little oil in a frying pan, add the watercress and sauté quickly until slightly wilted. You can add garlic, peppers or even ham strips for more flavor.
• Watercress pasta: Cook your favorite pasta and, in a separate pan, sauté the watercress with the garlic and olive oil. Mix the cooked pasta with the sautéed watercress and add the grated parmesan and chopped walnuts.
• Watercress soup: You can make a delicious watercress soup. Brown the onion and garlic in a pot, add the vegetable broth, potatoes and watercress. Cook until the potatoes are tender, then blend the mixture to make a smooth soup. Add cream if you want a creamier touch.

• Green smoothies: Add watercress to your green smoothies to boost its nutritional value. Combine watercress with fruits like apples, pears, bananas and a little water or milk to create a healthy and refreshing drink.
• Tortillas and omelets: Add watercress to your tortillas or omelettes for a kick of flavor and extra nutrition. Mix the watercress with the eggs before cooking.
• Fillings: Use watercress in fillings for empanadas, savory pies or wraps. Combine them with other ingredients like cheese, chicken, mushrooms and more.
• Dressings and sauces: Mash watercress with olive oil, lemon, garlic and walnuts to make a watercress vinaigrette that can add flavor to your dishes. You can also create watercress sauces by mixing them with yogurt or sour cream.
• Broths and stews: Add watercress to broths, stews or slow cookers to add unique flavor and nutrients to your preparations.

Growing watercress at home is relatively easy, as they are fast-growing plants that don’t require a lot of space. In Qué Pasa we explain how you can do it:

Materials needed:

• watercress seeds
• Pots or containers
• Soil or growing medium
• Water
• Sunlight or artificial light

Steps for growing watercress at home:

1. Choice of seeds: Buy watercress seeds from a local nursery or online. You can opt for large-leaved or small-leaved varieties of watercress depending on your preference.
2. Choice of container: Watercress can be grown in pots, growing containers or even shallow trays. Make sure the containers have drainage holes in the bottom to allow water to drain out.
3. Preparation of the substrate: Fill the containers with potting soil or plant growing medium. The medium should be light and well drained.
4. Sowing seeds: Evenly space the watercress seeds on the surface of the substrate. Then press them lightly so that they come into contact with the soil, but do not bury them too deeply, as watercress is a small seed.
5. Irrigation: Water the seeds thoroughly after sowing, making sure the soil is moist but not soggy. Keep the substrate moist throughout the germination and growth process.
6. Light: Watercress needs light to grow properly. Place the pots in a spot with indirect sunlight or use grow lights if you don’t have access to direct sunlight.
7. Care and maintenance : As the watercress grows, continue to keep the soil moist and make sure it gets plenty of light. You can fertilize occasionally with a balanced fertilizer as indicated on the product.
8. Harvest: Watercress grows quickly and is usually ready to harvest within a few weeks. You can harvest the outer leaves as they grow, leaving the inner leaves to continue growing.
9. Replant: If the watercress becomes too dense in the container, you can replant some of the seedlings in another container to give them more room to grow.
10. Continuous harvest: As you harvest the outer leaves, the watercress will continue to produce new leaves. This will allow you to enjoy a constant supply of fresh watercress.

Watercress prefers cool temperatures and does not tolerate intense heat well. If it is very hot, you may need to provide shade during the hottest part of the day.