Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is a water living plant that belongs to the Brassicaceae family of plants. In this regard the plant is related to broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. As with all brassica plants, watercress has a strong taste relating to the phytochemicals it contains, with the taste being described as peppery. Watercress is used in cuisine for its distinctive taste, but the plant also has medicinal value. Phytochemical studies have shown that watercress leaves contain coumaric and caffeic acid as well as a number of metabolites of these phenolics. The flavonoid quercetin is also present in the leaves. In the roots the phytochemical profile is slightly different, with coumaric acid and its derivatives, sinapic acid, caftaric acid and quercetin being present. The presence of these phenolics explains the high antioxidant potential observed in the plant tissues, and may also explain the known medical effects of the plant which include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
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