In September of last year, scientists from the Cancer Research Centre at Southampton General Hospital’s School of Medicine in the U.K. unveiled astounding findings about the benefits of watercress.
Did You Know…that watercress arrests cancer growth as effectively as—if not better than—conventional cancer treatments…without all the side effects?
Watercress is a member of the cruciferous (or cabbage) family of vegetables, all of which contain well-known cancer-fighting compounds. Now, this recent study shows that the benefits of watercress can actually reduce levels of an important growth factor that spurs tumor development. Essentially, compounds in watercress halt a process called angiogenesis—the technical term for how harmless cells become cancerous.
Scientists Have Searched for Years for Compounds That Can Do What Watercress Does
Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a well-known anti-aging specialist, is extremely excited about the amazing benefits of watercress ability to stop cancer by halting angiogenesis. “Scientists have been looking for anti-angiogenesis agents for years because if we can turn off the blood supply, we can kill the cancer. And it looks like watercress can do that.”
Halt Tumor Growth Before It Begins
The study in which watercress appeared to halt tumor growth was led by Professor Graham Packham, a molecular oncologist at the University of Southampton.
Packham worked with Barbara Parry, a Senior Research Dietician at the Winchester and Andover Breast Unit.
Parry and Packham asked a small group of breast cancer survivors to fast for a period of time, and then to eat 80g of watercress (about enough to fill a cereal bowl).
The team took a series of blood samples over the next 24 hours. Following the watercress meal, the blood samples contained significant levels of a specific cancer-fighter contained in watercress. More importantly, researchers confirmed that the functions needed for angiogenesis were halted.
As excited as he is about the study’s results, Professor Packham is disappointed that more people aren’t investigating how diet influences illness, especially cancer. “Knowing the risk factors for cancer is a key goal and studies on diet are an important part of this. However, relatively little work is being performed…on the links between the foods we eat and cancer development.”
That’s unfortunate considering that even the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledges that at least a third of all cancers are related to the foods we eat (or don’t eat).
Benefits of Watercress and Overall Wellness
Watercress benefits include many other medicinal applications. For centuries, it’s been used to treat ailments including…
- Migraines
- Headaches
- Eczema
- Anemia
- Tuberculosis
- Kidney and liver disease
Include Watercress in Your Diet
Since watercress is a food—not a drug—you can consume as much as you wish without risk of side effects. Nutritionists say you can easily include enough in your daily diet to get high levels of healing nutrients—and maximum therapeutic benefits.
There are many delicious ways to enjoy watercress. This vegetable can be used in salads, soups, sandwiches, and can be stewed and stir-fried. You can even include it in your juicing routine.
