Nasturtium officinale

Nasturtium officinale

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br., 1812) is an evergreen plant of the Brassicaceae (or Cruciferous) family.

Systematic –
The watercress belongs to the Eukaryota Domain, the Kingdom Plantae, the Magnoliophyta Division, the Magnoliopsida Class, the Capparales Order, the Brassicaceae Family and then the Genus Nasturtium and the N. officinal Species.

Etymology –
The name of the genus would come from the Latin “tortium nasi” = nose wrong due to the penetrating smell of the plant. While the vulgar name always comes from Latin grow. It is known by numerous common names: agretto, allegretto, arbuletta, ascione, watermelon, gressa, grissso, vesurina.
The specific “officinalis” comes from the Latin “workshop”, used for most plants that have medicinal properties used in “officinae” as pharmacies have once called.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
The Nasturtium officinale is a cosmopolitan plant; Grows in all parts of the world without major gaps. Its natural habitat is, however, that of steady and flowing waters, shores, swamps, etc. It prefers shady places. Normally we find it from the plane up to 1500 m, but it was also found over, up to 2500 m.

Description –
Watercress is a perennial herbaceous plant. Ascending stem, glabrous, rambling up. Basal leaves with 3-5 cm petioles, 2-3 pairs of progressively enlarged lateral segments, major patents or more or less conniving, oval, darkly marginalized at the margin. Larger renal end segment. Cauline leaves with shorter petiole and subtree or oval terminal segment. Shortcuts. Sepali brunastri, the two interiors sacked at the base. White-milky petals, more or less patent. Yellow anthers. Silique 2 X 13-18 mm with two-sided seeds.
Bloom extends, according to climatic zones, from March to July. Its presence is an index of good quality waters.
In identifying it, it can be confused with Cardamine amara L. which however has silique with a single set of seeds, darker and, above all, unpleasant taste.

Cultivation –
The Nasturtium officinale can be easily cultivated in the garden by taking small bushes from spontaneous young plants. They are transplanted into organic soil always kept moist. It can also be sown in peat jars and then transplanted.
The crescendo multiplies by seed or by division of cespi, the sowing is carried out in spring on a substrate consisting of sand, peat and cultivated land, once the seedlings are 5 cm high, they settle in a full – Water, with soil on the bottom, leaving the apical part emerging. Vegetative propagation consists in picking up a small portion of a plant with a knot that has already emitted roots, which is placed in the garden in a shaded place to create the appropriate humidity conditions required by the plant or directly in A fountain.
If you want to cultivate the watercress in the ground at the sides of the affected soil part, the channels are positioned lower than the plant, before the planting is prepared the sowing bed, and then the organic fertilizer is distributed And fill the channels with water, which must be kept constantly moist. The quality of irrigation water is of great importance, it must be clear, sloping, free of limestone and mud; If the water is dirty, stagnant or polluted, nasturtium can be subject to parasitic attacks. The leaves are collected when they are still held, so before flowering occurs, following this phase it is not advisable to grind the plants.
The leaves are kept fresh in a layer of damp sand and are not subjected to drying as this results in the loss of organoleptic characteristics and properties.

Uses and Traditions –
The watercress is an exquisite vegetable mixing with lettuce, chicory, tomatoes, radishes and any mixed salad, giving it a slightly acrid and spicy flavor.
The whole plant harvested in April, private of roots, contains a sulphurous glucose (gluconasturzin) which, due to hydrolysis induced by the myosin enzyme, breaks down into glucose and isocolphocyanate of phenylethyl, in addition to iron, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, iodine, phosphorus , Nicotinic acid, arsenic traces, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E and enzymes. The aforementioned vitamins confer anabolic and antiscorbutic properties. It is used in the cases of exhaustion, anemia and avitaminosis, in skin diseases caused by them, in eczema and alopecia of the scalp (concentrated juice) as a drainage, fluidizing and exhumating diuretic and purifying depura- tion of airway catarrh.
Frequent consumption of this vegetable, present in all seasons of the year, is advisable for strong smokers since it manages to purify the body from nicotine and diabetics since it lowers the blood glucose rate. Do not recommend craving for people who have recurrent cysts.
It is strongly recommended, for this and for other plants that grow in water, to avoid areas with chemical or organic pollution and to carefully wash leaves and other edible parts in order to eliminate the small molluscs they usually inhabit ( Especially Lymnaea palustris), a vehicle of dangerous parasites (hepatitis of the liver), and nephrectal haemorrhagic leptospirosis (Weil or spirochetosis) transmitted by the mice.
It can be said that it is a very effective and renowned plant. For its contents is a good reconstitute, also used against rachitism, but also good for bronchi, helps fight anemia, is also effective in diabetes, obesity, acne and urinary tract infections . Great purifying and even diuretic.
Nasturtium officinale is a plant known since antiquity for its many virtues. It is rich in vitamins and mineral salts is a precious antianemic, antiscorbutic and decongestant for the liver. Commonly used in salads, the watercress is used fresh because cooking or drying deprives it of all its purifying, diuretic and corrosive qualities.
According to Greek mythology, the watercress was contained among the various useful gifts and the many misfortunes in the vessel donated by the gods to Pandora for his wedding.
The watercress was very well known and even loved by the first Hippocrates doctor, who used it widely. The Romans, then, thought they would even grow their hair.

Methods of Preparation –
From the gastronomic point of view, the Nasturtium officinale is highly appreciated and cultivated in Germany and France, where it is believed, among other things, that aphrodisiac plant. It was the Frenchman Cardon, in 1811, to introduce artificial growing cultures (cressonières). The young leaves of acidic, spicy and slightly bitter taste, as well as in salad, can be eaten shredded and placed on baked bread croutons, fresh cheeses, grilled meats, spicy sauces and peppers. In order to be able to do the best, it is advisable to eat the very green and fresh watercress, obviously after having washed it thoroughly. Its consumption is advisable raw, leaving it to rest a couple of hours before its consumption.
It is great in salad; It also has a very good flavor that is a bit spicy, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil (cold pressed organic) and with lemon juice (always organic) and putting together a sliced ​​onion, it is said Do well to the lungs and even to the kidneys.
Its leaves can also be used to make sauces and soups, or to adorn very cold dishes.
It collects its flowered summits, just before full bloom and then dried in the shade, in this process they release a strong smell.
Watercress juice is used, as seen, as an antianemic.
Great as a reconstitute, to combat anemia, its juice is useful through a centrifuge of its plant. Always to be consumed with moderation.
Fresh cress juice is also used externally to treat skin diseases, eczema and eruptions.
From a food standpoint you can simply consume 100 g of freshly salted leaves in the day, alone or mixed with other salads for a week. Alternatively you can consume the juice of the whole fresh plant (150 g) by blending and filtering.
Another preparation is mastication for weak and bloody gums and gums. To this end, two fresh crescent leaves and a fresh sage leaf are needed. They put into the mouth and masticated slowly for ten minutes, then rinse with cold water and lemon. Twice a week when needed, in the evening before bedtime.
With Water Cancer you can prepare a lotion against hair loss.
200 cl of concentrated cress juice, obtained by passing the aerial parts of the plant in a blender and filtering with a colander, should be mixed in equal parts with nettle decoction (obtained by boiling in 300 cl of water 200 grams of top or leaves for 10 Minutes and filtering as above). After washing your hair with a neutral shampoo (and free of sodium lauryl sulphate), wipe a little and rub it with a glass of that preparation and let it work for 15 minutes by covering your head with a towel. Then they rinse. This is done twice a week until the lotion is exhausted (stored in a refrigerator).
Warning: Some people who are susceptible may experience gastric disorders. In this case, it is best to avoid the consumption of cress, as well as plants rich in sulfur glycosides such as garlic, horseradish, radish, mustard etc ..
It should also be emphasized that vegetative watercress plants in stagnant or polluted waters are useless from a nutritional point of view.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– Treben M., 2000. The Health from the Pharmacy of the Lord, tips and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Publisher
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.

Please note: Pharmaceutical applications and alimurgici uses are indicated for information purposes only, do not represent in any way a medical prescription; it accepts no liability on their use for therapeutic purposes, cosmetic or food.