19th-25th May 2013 is National Watercress Week:

Eating antioxidant-rich watercress can reduce the risk of DNA damage caused by strenuous exercise such as high intensity treadmill workouts or heavy weight lifting sessions according to a recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Ulster�s Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute (SESRI).

The health benefits of consuming watercress seem to have been recognized by our ancestors for thousands of years. Examples include Hippocrates, founder of the first ever hospital on the island of Kos back in 400BC, who prescribed watercress for his patients, Roman Emperors who would eat it to empower their decision making, and even Persian Emperor Xerxes c485BC, who ordered that it be fed to his soldiers to keep them healthy during long marches and to prevent scurvy.

More recently in 19th century England, watercress was a staple food of the poor, who would often eat it with bread for breakfast. It was so highly regarded that even when people couldn't afford a loaf, they�d buy pre-prepared portion sized bunches of watercress sold by street vendors as a handheld fast food, and eat it by itself, resulting in watercress being known as "poor man's bread".

Today, we have a deeper insight into the health giving properties of watercress. Gram for gram it contains more Vitamin C than oranges, more iron than spinach, more vitamin A than apples, more vitamin E than broccoli and more calcium than milk, as well as good levels of Vitamins K, B1 and B6, beta-carotene, magnesium, manganese, zinc, Lutein and Zeaxanthin - types of carotenoids that act as antioxidants. Add the fact that it's low in calories and it's easy to see why it has gained the accolade of being a "super food".

What better time than National Watercress week to start incorporating watercress into your diet on a regular basis, especially as there are various ways to use it in cooking�. not just salads. In fact, you can substitute it for spinach in many recipes, where its peppery taste will add an extra dimension.
 

If you're stuck for ideas. you can find lots of recipes using watercress at www.recipes4us.co.uk, including this delicious Three-Cheese, Pepper and Watercress Roulade

Written by Florence Sandeman, Publisher

Recipes4us.co.uk

Note to Editors:

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�         Recipes4us.co.uk was launched in 2000 and is an independent and privately owned UK recipe and food information site covering many aspects of food,  from growing to cooking.   We have no allegiance to particular food suppliers or retailers.

�         Qualification of a "super food" - A food which is rich in antioxidants, nutrients and plant chemicals

�         Definition of  "antioxidant" A substance that prevents damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that often contain oxygen. They are produced when molecules are split to give products that have unpaired electrons. This process is called oxidation.  www.stjude.org/glossary

Sources:        University of Ulster: http://www.ulster.ac.uk

        Watercress.co.uk : http://www.watercress.co.uk

Contact:                 Florence Sandeman

Email:                    [email protected]

Tel:                         07971 627037

Website:                www.recipes4us.co.uk