Watercress is one of the healthiest vegetables around and is packed full of Vitamin C, needed to boost our immune systems

There’s a surprising new fast food on the market which is healthy and sustainable but actually wouldn’t have looked out of place in Dickensian London!

The Watercress Company has taken inspiration from the past and launched traditional handcrafted bunches, wrapped in 100% biodegradable paper packaging to meet consumer demand for less plastic.

Single 150g bunches of watercress can be ordered online now for national delivery via a link at www.watercress.co.uk/bunches.

The bunches will also be available from selected grocers, butchers, farm shops and box schemes nationwide and the company is requesting all the interested consumers to spread the word with their local independents.

Grown in specially built beds of flowing spring water, watercress was hugely popular in Victorian times when it was sold at markets in bunches tied at the base for people to eat on the move as the world’s first ‘fast food’.

This convenient and affordable format allowed city and factory workers alike to benefit from high-quality nutrition.

In more modern times bunches didn’t suit retail specifications and watercress moved over to plastic bag packaging.

Watercress and avocado smoothie Now, with the global demand to reduce plastic use, The Watercress Company has re-introduced fresh watercress bunches, but this time they are wrapped in sustainable paper made in the Lake District and printed with natural, British ink.

The paper is lightly coated in biodegradable plant wax to make it waterproof and the wrap is suitable for home-composting.

Watercress is one of the healthiest vegetables around and is packed full of Vitamin C, needed to boost our immune systems – something we could use some help with right now.

It is also high in Vitamin K and Vitamin A and is a good source of iron, calcium, folate and Vitamin B6. Watercress is recognised as a natural source of fibre, and is naturally high in protein, as well as in a range of vital anti-oxidants called Glucosinolates and Flavonoids.

These protect against cell damage (the precursor to chronic disease and ageing) and are associated with the prevention of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

One of these bio actives, Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), which gives watercress its distinctive peppery taste, is being shown through current research to be associated with improved outcomes in some types of cancers.

To get the most out of this nutritional powerhouse, it’s best to eat the watercress raw and as fresh as possible, so if it’s not being consumed immediately, keep it wrapped in the fridge, standing in a glass of water.

The bunches can be stored upright in the door like a milk bottle, taking up little space; the bunched watercress is unwashed straight form the farm which helps to extend shelf life, plus the watercress is also cut longer, providing more stalk, which is perfect for whizzing into smoothies, soups or pestos, while the leaves can be used in nutritious salads.

Watercress, Avocado & Lime Smoothie:

Serves 1
Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 small avocado, peeled and seed removed
  • 50g diced pineapple, fresh or frozen
  • 33g watercress
  • 23g baby spinach
  • 1 whole lime, peeled
  • Small handful mint leaves
  • 250ml chilled coconut water

Method

  1. Add all ingredients into a blender or smoothie maker and blend thoroughly.
  2. Add more coconut water to achieve desired consistency then either serve immediately or keep in the fridge for up to three days.

For more inspiring recipes, information about how good watercress is for you, and how to order a bunch or two, visit www.watercress.co.uk