Watercress: A Leaf with a Legacy

Watercress is one of the oldest known salad leaves, and few greens can rival its history. As far back as 400 BCE, on the Greek island of Kos, Hippocrates is said to have built a hospital beside a river where it grew, to ensure a steady supply of fresh watercress for his patients. 

During the medieval period, watercress was simmered in almond milk and served with cheese during Lent; a simple, sustaining dish at a time when it was an abundant and easily accessible foraged food. By the Victorian era, concerns over polluted waterways, combined with the rapid expansion of the railways, transformed watercress into a thriving commercial crop. Too delicate to survive slow journeys by horse and cart, the arrival of faster rail transport turned watercress into an affordable, nutrient-rich staple for the working classes, and it became known as “Poor Man’s Bread”.

My grandmother was a passionate cook and gardener, and as children she would take us foraging in the woods near her home. I have vivid memories of wading through shallow streams with my brother, gasoupthering bunches of the bright green leaves, before taking them back to my Granny to be made into soup. I certainly wouldn’t do that today, given our often-polluted water, but it remains one of my happiest memories of a 1970s childhood spent largely outdoors.

Gram for gram, watercress contains more vitamin C than an orange, along with impressive levels of vitamins A, E and K. It is rich in magnesium, calcium and iron, and packed with antioxidants. As a member of the cruciferous family, it offers many of the same benefits as broccoli and kale, making it one of the simplest and most delicious ways to boost your daily intake of leafy greens.

Often overlooked, watercress deserves a place centre stage. Next time you make a salad, a soup or a sandwich, add a handful of this vibrant leaf and prove that the simplest ingredients are often the best.