When it comes to size, garden cress is easily to be underestimated but when it comes to health benefits, garden cress is coming with quite long list that could beat even the bigger plants. In other words, don’t ever underestimate the tiny size of garden cress because even their seeds have amazing benefits for human health.
What Is Garden Cress and Garden Cress Seeds?
Garden cress is usually referred as simply cress. It is a fast growing edible herb that is closely related to mustard and watercress. Due to its tangy flavor, garden cress is very popular as garnish for pasta or sandwiches. However, raw garden cress could be consumed as sprouts as well to be added into salad and soup because basically they are like mini leafy vegetables. The most amazing thing about garden cress is not only its tiny size but all of the parts are edible such as the leaves, stems and the seeds. While the leaves and stems could be consumed raw, the garden cress seeds should be roasted first. Well, not only the leaves and the stems, the health benefits of garden cress seeds are also quite amazing. You must be surprised about how much benefits you could get by consuming this tiny leafy vegetables which has botanical name Lepidium sativum.
Nutritional Values of Garden Cress Seeds
Those who are currently in the way to reach healthy living goal must have been familiar with garden cress because this type of vegetable is packed with some nutritional values such as folate, iron, fiber, vitamin C benefits, vitamin A, vitamin E and protein. To learn more about its amazing benefits the list of health benefits of garden cress seeds below will tell you more.
- Reduces the Symptoms of Asthma
Though asthma is kind of diseases that cannot be cured completely but the symptoms of asthma could be reduced by eating garden cress seeds which contain active compound to help improving the function of lung for asthma patients.
- Excellent for Weight Loss
Do you want to know natural solution to weight loss? Just mix garden cress seed with water and drink it in the morning when your stomach is still empty. It is such an effective and natural way to lose some weight.
- Natural Solution to Constipation
One of the amazing things that you could get from consuming garden cress seeds are its ability to help you dealing with constipation. Just make sure to eat it regularly to help improving digestion and say goodbye to constipation for good.
- Used as Immunity Booster
All parts of garden cress are natural immunity booster, including the seeds. They will improve your immunity booster by reducing the stress level that may affect your immunity in negative way.
- Promotes the Production of RBC
The iron content found in garden cress seeds are quite high and one of the health benefits of iron is optimizing the production of red blood cells.
- Treats Anemia
As mentioned in the previous point, the iron content will help improving the production of RBCs. In other words, it is a shortcut to treat all health conditions caused by iron deficiencies and one of them is anemia.
- Helps in Normalizing Menstrual Cycle
Women who have problem with their menstrual cycle could consume garden cress seed because it contains a certain phytochemical which similar to estrogen to help irregular menstrual cycle becomes regular.
- Recommended for Mother during Breastfeeding
Some research studies have proven that consuming garden cress seeds may help improving the milk production it is due to protein and iron content found in both the green leaves and the seeds.
- Excellent Memory Booster
Garden cress seeds contain specific organic compound well known as linoleic acid and arachidic fatty acid. The combination of those organic compounds is excellent memory booster.
- Could Act as Natural Expectorant
When you are suffering from light cold, sore throat or cough. Just chewing a pinch of garden cress seeds may help you reducing the symptom because it could act as natural expectorant due to its tarty flavor.
- Treats Some Skin Conditions
Some condition such as sunburn is not going to be fatal but it is not easy to deal with either. Just turning the garden cress seed into paste and use it to sunburn area may help soothing the sunburn. It is applicable for dry lips.
- May Prevent Hair Loss
You could consume garden cress seeds or use it as hair paste to help preventing hair loss. It is due to the minerals content found in garden cress seeds such as potassium, manganese and iron.
- Natural Way to Treat Diarrhea
There is no such easy way of how to prevent diarrhea. Sometimes it sorts of happen and the best thing you could think of is how to treat diarrhea naturally and effectively. The paste made of the garden cress seeds are not only able to treat common diarrhea but also dysentery due to its anti-bacteria agents found.
- Contains Anti-Cancer Properties
The garden cress seeds contain some potent antioxidants to help fighting the worst effect of free radicals.
- May Help Colic in Children
Though the cause of colic in infant is still something to be discussed but crushed garden cress seeds that are mixed with water could help calming the colic infant.
- Excellent Source of Potent Antioxidants
Some potent antioxidants found in garden cress seeds are like vitamin A and vitamin E. They are not only able to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells but also reduce the side-effect of chemotherapy.
- Promotes Healthy Vision
Garden cress seeds are excellent source of vitamin A and beta-carotene. Among the health benefits of beta-carotene and vitamin A is they are great for vision.
Cautions of Garden Cress Seeds
As mentioned above the tiny size of garden cress is not something you should take lightly. However, luckily due to its tiny size is almost impossible for people to consume it in large amount because something too much is never good. It also applies to garden cress seeds and some cautions below may occur when you consume it in large amount.
- Garden cress seeds are not recommended for those have problems with their urinary tract because garden cress seeds may worsen the condition due to its diuretic properties
- Though garden cress seeds are highly recommended for mother during breastfeeding but mother during pregnancy is better avoiding this tasty leafy green leaves entirely. It is because garden cress seeds contain abortifacient properties that could increase the uterine contraction that could lead to abortion.
- Garden cress seeds also contain goitrogenic properties that could disturb the absorption of iodine when consumed in excessive amount.
Unlike the leaves and the stems of garden cress that are best to be consumed fresh and raw, the garden cress seeds could be easily stored after they are sun-dried or roasted. From the list of health benefits of garden cress seeds mentioned above, surely you cannot just throw the garden cress seeds away.