Effect:
blood purifying, menstrual stimulating, digestive, conceiving, antipyretic, purifying, diuretic, laxative, expectorant
Areas of application:
Arthritis, lichen, rash, eczema, dermatitis, chronic skin diseases, for skin blemishes, pimples, blackheads, inflammation of the mouth, oral thrush, swollen gums, bad breath, goiter, catarrh of the respiratory tract, menstrual disorders, fever, jaundice, gout, water retention, for blood purification, Anemia, weakness, liver and gallbladder problems, kidney stones, constipation, hair loss, strengthens the immune system, tuberculosis, headaches, anxiety, hot flashes, rheumatism and gout
Plant parts used:
the whole herb
Collection time:
before flowering
To find:
Occurs in clean, uniformly temperate, flowing waters. Especially at springs and small streams, gathering places that are close to livestock pastures (cows or sheep). Do not collect if the animals have walked in, over, etc.!!!
Ingredients:
Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, iodine, glukonasturtin, potassium, iron, arsenic, bitter substances, mustard oil
Miscellaneous:
☕ Tea: Pour a cup (200 milliliters) of hot water over 1 heaped teaspoon of the dried herb and let it steep for about 10 minutes. Then pour or strain through a sieve. Drink warm and in sips.
Watercress is a wintergreen, herbaceous plant that usually grows in water and is 15 to 80 cm tall. The plant's leaves are compound and consist of 3 to 7 wavy, oval leaflets growing on a central stalk. The spicy, hot leaves have a strong peppery taste. They are 5 to 12.5 cm long. The flowers are located at the top of the stems and are less than 0.5 cm long with four white petals. Watercress fruits are thin, slightly curved, less than 1 inch long and about 1/2 inch wide. They are borne on short stalks and contain 4 rows of small, round seeds.
🛑 Be careful! In rare cases, gastrointestinal problems may occur. Patients with stomach or intestinal ulcers or with inflammatory kidney disease should not use watercress. Watercress should be harvested from clean water sources. Contaminated water can also contaminate the herb.
In the kitchen you can eat the leaves and seeds and use them as a spice or salad garnish.
The ancient medicinal plant, which was mentioned as early as 356 BC, with its pungent taste goes particularly well with raw spinach. Just as good as watercress are nasturtiums and garden cress. The two types of cress also have a spicy taste and are rich in vitamins and minerals.
For a spring cure, eat a few leaves of watercress every day for at least 6 weeks.
Hildegard von Bingen: The watercress is of a warm nature, it is not of much use to people and does not harm them either. But whoever has jaundice or fever, let him steam watercress and eat it warm, and it will cure him.