This October, as Breast Cancer Awareness Month aims to raise the profile of this disease once more, British watercress farmers urge you to stock up on watercress – the original superfood. Why? Well, according to the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research up to 30 per cent of all cancers can be prevented by lifestyle and nutritional measures. In corroboration of this, recent research, funded by the Watercress Alliance in the UK, has demonstrated just how important watercress may be in the fight against cancer.

A 2007 study at the University of Ulster found that eating one 85g bag of watercress a day can significantly reduce DNA damage to blood cells, which is considered to be an important trigger in the development of cancer. Another study carried out at Southampton University in 2010 showed that a plant compound in watercress may have the ability to suppress breast cancer cell development by “turning off” a signal in the body and thereby starving the growing tumour of essential blood and oxygen.

And it’s so easy to increase your consumption of watercress by simply adding it to everyday meals: stir a handful of watercress into an omelette with ham or wilt watercress into pasta dishes – just pile it on top of the pasta after it has been drained and pop the lid back on for a few minutes to gently wilt the watercress, and then stir it in with some olive oil.  Alternatively try making a bowl of watercress soup or mix yourself up a delicious smoothie of watercress blended with blueberry and pineapple, or banana and kiwi for an instant health boost.

Watercress is grown in mineral rich spring water, drawn from deep under the Chalk Downs of Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire. It packs a powerful nutritional punch; gram for gram containing more iron than spinach, more vitamin C than oranges, more calcium than milk, more vitamin E than broccoli and more folate than bananas.  It is brimming with Vitamin A (converted from beta carotene) with 80g providing a whopping 42% of the recommended daily allowance.

The curative properties of watercress have been revered down the centuries; Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is said to have located his first hospital close to a spring to ensure a supply of fresh watercress to help treat his patients, Greek soldiers were given it as a tonic before going into battle and the 16th Century herbalist Culpepper claimed it could cleanse the blood. It’s only in recent years that there have been scientific studies which suggest that these ancient civilisations were really on to something!

Try our watercress packed recipes below. 

Watercress Soup
Serves: 4 Prep: 5 minutes Cooking: 15 minutes

15ml/1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small stick celery
350g/12oz potato, peeled and diced
600ml/1pt chicken or vegetable stock
3 (85g) bags watercress
150ml/1/4pt milk
pinch of nutmeg
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.     Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and celery and sauté over a medium heat for 5 mins until pale golden. Stir in the potato and stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 10 mins or until the potato is tender.

2.     Stir in the watercress, cover and cook for a further 5 mins or until the watercress is wilted. Transfer the soup to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Return the soup to the rinsed out pan add the milk, nutmeg, lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Gently reheat until piping hot and serve with crusty bread.

Cook’s note: There are lots of variations to this lovely soup. For Fresh Pea and Watercress Soup, just substitute 400g of frozen peas for the potatoes. Or remove the celery, nutmeg and lemon juice, and instead serve with a sprig of mint. 

Watercress Pesto Linguine
Serves 4 Prep: 30mins Cooking: 20mins

350g/12oz linguine or pappardelle
1 small clove garlic
25g/1oz pine nuts
5ml/1 tbsp capers
25g/1oz parmesan cheese
2 (85g) bags watercress
60ml/4 tbsp olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g/2oz pitted black olives, roughly chopped
150g/5oz cherry tomatoes, halved

1.     Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 10mins or according to packet instructions or until just tender and ‘al dente’.

2.     Reserve a handful of watercress leaves. Whilst the pasta cooks place the garlic, pine nuts and capers in a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add the cheese and watercress and blitz again until finely chopped. With the motor running add the olive oil and finally the lemon juice. Season to taste.

3.     Drain the pasta in a colander, then return it to the pan, add the pesto, olives and tomatoes and toss together. Add the reserved watercress and serve.

Watercress, Potato and Bacon Frittata
Prep: 5 mins Cook: 25-30mins Serves 4

350g/12oz new potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
4 rashers back bacon, trimmed and sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 (85g) pack watercress, roughly chopped
6 eggs
50g/2oz mature Cheddar cheese, grated
To serve: tomato salsa and salad

1.     Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 10 mins or until tender. Drain and slice.

2.     Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the bacon and onions and fry for 3-4 min until beginning to brown. Add the sliced potatoes and cook for a further 5 mins. Add the watercress to the pan and continue to cook for 2 mins, stirring until it has wilted.

3.     Beat the eggs with a little salt and plenty of ground black pepper. Pour the mixture into the pan and cook, stirring for 1 min, until most of the egg has set. Shake the pan to level the surface and cook for a further 2 mins.

4.     Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the frittata and cook under a hot grill for 2 mins until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown. Serve in wedges with tomato salsa and a watercress salad.

Cooks tip: This tasty supper dish is also great served cold in lunchboxes or on picnics. If preparing for vegetarians, omit the bacon and replace with 1 large sliced red pepper, adding 1tbsp more olive oil to the pan.

The Editor, Third Age.