Weekly tips to bring island-inspired wellness into your everyday life from the wellness and spa team at Rosalie Bay Resort, Dominica. Post written by Spa Therapist Alma George.
When I was a child, my mum would use watercress in her vegetable salad and serve it to the family. I would remove every leaf. She would tell me that I didn’t know what was good for me. I never really understood what she was saying until a few years after her death.
There are many reasons to welcome watercress into our diets. It is a fast-growing aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial plant, which is one of the oldest known leafy vegetables consumed by humans. This small leafy vegetable features a peppery, tangy flavor, and is very rich in iron, iodine, Vitamins A, C and E, antioxidants and folate.
In addition to assisting in weight loss, watercress has many health benefits. Some of its health benefits include:
- Fighting signs of aging,
- Improving the immune system,
- Reducing the risk of cancer and DNA damage,
- Providing relief from inflammation,
- Helping detoxify the digestive system,
- Relieving skin problems such as bacterial infections, and
- Promoting scalp and hair health.
It is also an excellent diuretic and has a positive effect on the pancreas, helping to augment blood sugar level and maintaining insulin.
I wish my mum was alive to tell her I am sorry for ignoring her watercress. Had I known there was so much good to derive out of eating it, I would never have thrown it away.
But I try to make up for it now as it is never too late to enjoy it. When you are dining at Zamaan Restaurant at Rosalie Bay Resort you, too, may also enjoy watercress, which is an ingredient in our green salad.