Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is one of the oldest plants known to man.. A Greek
proverb went "eat cress and gain more wit" because it was thought to be a brain stimulant.
Watercress has been used not only to sharpen mental acuity, but as an antiscorbutic in ancient
days. The Romans introduced it in Europe. It was much cultivated in the middle ages as the
basic ingredient in a salve thought to be effective with sword wounds. Since the Roman times
watercress has been recognized as an important salad plant. It was also eaten to prevent scurvy
because it is rich in vitamin C and minerals. General Peter Muhlenberg recognized it growing
wild in streams at Valley Forge in 1777 and recommended it for the army encamped there. It
was a much sought after ingredient for salads in the early spring because its vitamin-rich leaves
served as an antidote to winter diets lacking green vegetables. Strangely enough watercress has
been considered an effective hair tonic when used externally and the juice from the crushed
leaves were recommended for clearing blemishes and freckles.
Watercress is a part of the mustard family, a common name for the large family of
pungent-juiced herbs. The family contains about 390 genera and 3,000 species. It is
cosmopolitan in distribution, with centers of diversity in the Mediterranean region and
southwestern and Central Asia, where about two-thirds of the species occur. The mustard family
contains a great variety of food plants, but they do not form important parts of staple diets. Best
known are the salad and vegetable crops, such as cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and
broccoli. The family is also an important source of vegetable oils, ranking fifth in worldwide
importance behind soybeans, cottonseed, peanuts, and sunflower. Most members of the mustard
family are annual or perennial herbs. Watercress is a perennial with peppery flavor. ...