As experts recommend, fruits and vegetables should be present in any healthy and balanced diet.In fact, various studies show Eat five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day. Not only that, You have to know how to mix them with other basic foods in the right amounts.products such as meat, fish, bread, eggs, cereals, pasta, rice, milk and dairy products, and olive oil.
A good diet helps maintain physical and mental health, Get regular physical exercise Depending on each person’s level, engage in simple activities such as walking or swimming.
Although food and nutrition are related, they do not mean the same thing.. Food is the act of eating when we are hungry, and we consume food regardless of its source or form.However, through nutrition, food is processed by the body to achieveNutrients It is necessary to regulate it well.
The most nutritious food in the world
Have you ever wondered what are the most nutritious vegetables or fruits in the world?
Of all the fruits and vegetables analyzed in the study “Defining Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables: A Nutrient Density Approach” from William Paterson University in the United States, There is a food with a nutrient density score of 100 (out of 100) it mean. This is watercress, a food rarely eaten in Spain, although we can find it in the markets all year round.
To name just a few, watercress ranks higher than Chinese cabbage (91.99), beets (89.27), chard (87.8) and spinach (86.43).
Characteristics of watercress
Watercress is the shoots and leaves of the watercress plant, a stolonal herbaceous plant in the cruciferous family. According to the Department of Agriculture, they are one of the few vegetables that grow naturally in aquatic environments.
They grow wild in stagnant water or in areas with little current, in springs, streams and river banks. They have a characteristic aroma and slightly spicy taste, but with a hint of sweetness, partially reminiscent of the taste of mustard. If watercress is picked when it is too luxuriant, its leaves will be too pungent. These are green in color and have broad blades. The flowers are small and white, gathered in clusters or terminal panicles.
watercress 62 grams consumed per 100 grams of fresh produce.
Watercress provides high amounts of vitamin A, folate, vitamin C (100 grams of watercress covers 38% of the recommended daily intake for moderately active men and women aged 20 to 39 years), and lower proportions of thiamine and Vitamin C. Vitamin E. It also provides minerals like calcium and iron, as well as smaller amounts of ingredients like potassium and phosphorus.
Used as a stimulant and diuretichas been used in popular medicine to relieve bronchitis and certain skin conditions.