Watercress Originally published in 2014 by the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the study took into account the quantity of nutrients present in each of these vegetables to establish its classification, in particular potassium, zinc, iron, and even proteins. The CDC then assigned a nutrient density score. If vegetables such as spinach or chard obtained a score of around 80, only one obtained the perfect score of 100: watercress. Belonging to the leafy green family, watercress is related to cabbage and kale. Its perfect score is notably due to its high concentration of vitamins A, C and K, but also calcium, iron and antioxidants. Its exceptional nutritional density helps support immunity, bone health as well as cellular protection, and its low calorie content is just as appreciable. A versatile vegetable The study shows that 100 grams of watercress, or about three cups chopped, contains notably 11 calories, 2 grams of protein, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 43mg of vitamin C and 160ug (micrograms) of vitamin A. The latter is very important for vision, as well as for iron metabolism. So many benefits that make watercress a vegetable perfectly suited to a healthy diet. “These scores can help consumers better understand their daily energy needs and optimize the nutritional intake of their diet,” explains Professor Jennifer Di Naia, lead author of the study, in a press release. “The ranking provides details on the nutritional quality of different foods and can facilitate the choice of foods richer in nutrients among the most nutritious foods.”