Amazing recipe for watercress juice and tea

Introduction

Watercress is fast becoming a household name owing to its numerous health benefits, which cut across it sweet taste through its antioxidant properties to its ability to boost the immune system. Whether you take the juice, tea or eat the vegetable as a salad, the benefits are the same.

Watercress is a sun and water lover; it grows naturally along clean running waterway. The plant, which is ever green, can be cultivated for its slight peppery tasting leaf and stem. It is edible, and therefore can make the list of your vegetables.

What Are The Nutritional Contents of Watercress Juice and Tea?

Watercress contain:

Proteins, calories, carbohydrates,
Vitamins: vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C , vitamin K, folate
Minerals: Sodium, potassium, iron, magnesium and calcium.

What Are The Benefits of Drinking Watercress Juice and Tea?

Like I mentioned earlier, what made watercress a house hold cruciferous vegetable is because aside its peppery taste which are sweet, even, it possesses several health benefits that rank it among popular herbal remedies for boosting your immune system and fighting invading microbes. Some of the numerous health benefits of drinking the juice or tea include:

They can boost your immune system
They possess strong antioxidant compounds
Possess anti-nephrotoxicity effects
Protect your bone against osteoporosis
Protect your liver from toxic agent
Used in treatment of kidney stone
Possess anti-tuberculosis compounds
Possess anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect
Possess anticancer bioactive compounds
Can act as an antidepressant
Used in treating diabetes
Improve brain function
Helps in pregnancy due to its folate supply
Improve the function of thyroid gland

Watercress Juice and Tea Recipe

There are different watercress juice and tea recipes available, but i shall choose the ones that are most convenient to make and also rich for consumption, with great benefits.

Watercress Juice Recipe

Ingredients:

1 big bundle of watercress
2 green apples or cucumber
1 carrot
½ cup of clean water
1 lemon or pineapple

Method:

Wash the watercress leaves and stems thoroughly to remove sands and dirt.
Chop every ingredient except lemon into smaller pieces and load into a blender.
Squeeze the lemon juice into a cup.
Add the ½ cup of water and blend properly.
Pass the contents through a fine sieve to separate the juice.
Add the lemon juice (that is if pineapple is not around).
Enjoy your watercress juice chilled or lukewarm.

Watercress Tea Recipe

Because watercress bioactive compounds have low temperature range compare to water, it is not advisable to let your water keep boiling throughout the process of tea making.

Ingredients:

A small bundle of watercress
A pineapple or orange
A little quantity of honey

Method:

Heat water till it boils in a pot
Reduce the temperature to 70^oC
Add your watercress and allow to simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes
Pour the water in a cup and add your pineapple or orange juice.
Enjoy your tea

Who Should Not Drink Watercress Juice Or Tea?

For an individual who is taking blood-thinning medication, watercress juice or tea should not be giving to drink, as watercress contains vitamin K which is responsible for blood clotting, and therefore will interfere with the medication outcome.
For a person with hypothyroidism, drinking of watercress juice can deteriorate the health condition, as watercress juice contains bioactive compounds that reduce thyroid hormone and regulate the thyroid gland function.

Are there Side Effects To Drinking Watercress Juice Or Tea?

There, yet, no known side effect watercress juice or tea. However, storing the juice improperly would expose it to contamination by bacteria that converts nitrate content to nitrite which is harmful to the body. Also, too much consumption of watercress juice can hamper the function of the thyroid gland and hormone secretion.