Boost Your Immunity With the Winter Watercress Challenge

Did you know that by eating or one bag of watercress a week you can supercharge your health and immune system this winter? 

The Watercress Company, the UK's largest grower of watercress is encouraging us all to eat more of the nutrient-packed leafy green in their Winter Watercress Challenge.

Watercress is a winter superfood. Just one nutrient-packed bag of watercress a week (or more if you like) is a step in the right direction to give your immune system the tools it needs to do its job effectively.

According to the nutrient density index, watercress hits the maximum score of 1000¹, putting it in joint first place with kale and way ahead of other well-known superfoods like blueberries, edamame, broccoli or spinach.

Just 100g of watercress contains more than half our recommended intake of vitamin A, which is required for a strong immune system, as well as improving iron absorption.

Gram for gram, the plant contains more vitamin C than an orange, which also helps us to absorb iron more efficiently, more folate than a banana and more vitamin E than broccoli. This all contributes to a robust and resilient immune system, enhancing your ability to defend against illnesses.

Award-winning registered nutritionist, Dr Lucy Williamson says, “The key to a good diet is eating a variety of 30 different plants a week (don't worry, that includes spices, nuts, pulses and herbs too). Just including watercress once a week is a fantastic way to boost your nutrient levels.”

Tom Amery, managing director of The Watercress Company says, “Watercress is nature's immune-boosting powerhouse. Incorporating just one portion to your diet once a week will be a delicious step towards supporting your health and resilience.” 

Whether a handful of watercress is added to your meal, to soups, sandwiches or blitzed up into pesto, this versatile green is easy to incorporate into your family's meal.

To kick start your Winter Watercress Challenge, simply grab one bag of fresh watercress a week from your local supermarket, or from The Watercress Company: www.watercress.co.uk, and let the green superfood transform your winter wellness. 

Simple recipes to try:

Watercress Pesto 

40g Watercress

2 tbsp Olive oil

Handful of nuts – pine or hazelnut are good options

30g Hard cheese like Parmesan (plus extra for grating)

Salt

Add the watercress, oil, nuts, cheese and a generous pinch of salt to a blender and blitz until everything is combined. Loosen the mixture with the olive oil; add a little at a time until your desired consistency is reached. 

Watercress Soup with an Egg

Serves 2 | Prep time 10 mins Cook Time 20 mins

60g watercress

30g spinach

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 large potato, chopped small approx. 150g

50ml crème fraiche

2 eggs

In a pan, gently soften the shallot in a little oil before setting aside. 

In a pot, boil the chopped potato until soft. Add the watercress and spinach at the last moment, allow to cook for no more than a minute. Strain the mixture but reserve the cooking liquid. 

Add the shallot to the potato mixture and, using a hand blender, blitz everything together. Add the reserved cooking liquid a little at a time to thin it out to your desired texture. 

Stir though the crème fraiche and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

To serve, poach 2 eggs for 2-3 minutes in boiling water, until the whites are cooked but the yolk is runny. Serve the soup in 2 bowls and place an egg in each. 

Enjoy piping hot with crusty bread. 

Introducing the Watercress Guru: Tom Amery

Tom Amery, widely known as 'The Watercress Guru', is the MD of the UK's largest grower of watercress, The Watercress Company which is based in Dorset. 

As a dedicated advocate for this highly nutritious, deliciously peppery leafy green that has been recently declared the 'world's healthiest food', Tom's mission is to bring watercress back into the spotlight and help people rediscover its incredible nutritional value.

The Watercress Revolution

Far more than a garnish, no other square metre of crop could produce multiple harvests and offer such nutrient density as a naturally fertilised, non-polluting watercress bed. It's incredibly rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which, according to the ANDI nutrient index, ranks it way ahead of superfoods such as blueberries, edamame, broccoli or spinach.

Wildlife 

Watercress is famed for its ability to improve water quality. The mineral-rich, fertile rivers and streams that flow from the watercress beds provide a healthy ecosystem with critical habitats for a variety of species, including endangered white-clawed crayfish, eels, slow-worms, grass snakes, minnows and toads with owls in nearby trees.

Background

Tom studied Commercial Horticulture at Writtle College which cultivated his love of nature and pursuit for sustainable farming practices. This experience, together with an overseas trip to Zimbabwe and Australasia after college, encouraged Tom further, but on his return to the UK he was searching for a more unique crop to work with.

Tom joined The Watercress Company in 1999 as Trainee Technical Manager. Nearly 24 years later, there are few people who know more about the cultivation and wonder of watercress than Tom. He works tirelessly investing into watercress research, developing growing practices with the team and the challenge of delivering fresh watercress to consumers throughout the UK. 

Tom Amery - The Watercress Guru, says, “I am on a mission to elevate watercress to its rightful place in our diets. It's not only a delicious choice, but a responsible one for our health and the environment. Just adding watercress to our diet once a week will impart significant health benefits and improve our wellbeing.” 

Getting watercress on the menu

To encourage the nation to embrace watercress, Tom collaborates with chefs to develop innovative recipes. Over the years, Tom has worked with names such as The Hairy Bikers, Marcus Wareing, Jamie Oliver, Mary Berry, Raymond Blanc, John Torode and other food heroes to spread the word about watercress's versatility and unique flavour.

Entrepreneurship

The thriving Watercress Company that Tom operates serves as a model for responsible agriculture, showcasing the importance of clean water sources and low-input growing practices. The UK-based company runs farms across Hampshire, Dorset and for winter supply - in Jerez, Spain.

https://www.thewatercresscompany.com.