Watercress.com sponsored by B&W Quality Growers: Your authoritative online source on Watercress, Chinese New Year watercress recipes and more

<BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff" TEXT="#000000"> <TABLE BORDER=0 WIDTH="100%" CELLPADDING=5> <TR> <td valign="top" width="30%"><IMG style="WIDTH: 107px; HEIGHT: 126px" height=127 alt="Chinese New Year Recipes, Watercress recipes, Chinese New Year food, recipes for the chinese new year" src="http://www.watercress.com/images/logo.gif" width=157> <table valign="top" width="100%"> <tr> <td valign="top"> <A HREF="http://www.watercress.com"> <I>Nasturtium Officinale</I></A> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <A HREF="http://www.watercress.com/pages/healthy/nutritional.htm">Nutritional Facts On Watercress</A> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <A HREF="http://www.watercress.com/pages/watercress/facts.htm">Fun,Facts and folklore</A> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <A HREF="http://www.watercress.com/pages/watercress/newitems.htm">Chinese New Year Recipes</A> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <A HREF="http://www.watercress.com/pages/specialty/specialty.htm">Specialty Vegetables for vegans</A> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <A HREF="http://www.watercress.com/pages/bwgrowers/company.htm">Company Profile</A> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <TD width="70%"> <P> </P> <H1 align="center"><A href="http://www.watercress.com/water-cress-recipes.htm">Chinese New Year Recipes</A> </H1> <P><P>The Benefits of Watercress:</P> <P>Recent chemical analysis of Watercress reveals that the beneficial effects are due to its generous content of vitamins A and C, and the minerals calcium and iron. Watercress also contains significant amounts of folic acid and Lucien. It is also considered an excellent functional food for the prevention of cancer and related diseases.</P> <P>The United States, with its abundance a pure running water, proper soils and atmospheric conditions is the most highly favored country in the world for raising aquatic plants like watercress. These favorable conditions have made possible large-scale commercial undertakings in cultivating watercress in the United States. Currently, B&W Quality Growers is the largest watercress grower in the world, with seasonal farms in six states in the Eastern United States.</P> <P>Watercress is a hardy perennial. However, a high degree of vigilance is necessary in modern cultivation and skilled hands are needed in harvesting, packing, and shipping this highly perishable product. Only through the strictest sanitary control, use of scientific methods and skilled handling has the cultivation of Watercress reached the peak of excellence in the United States possible.</P> <P>Wherever Watercress has been reported in history, it has been common to eat the crisp green sprigs out of hand, combined with other tender greens in salads and as a garnish on hot or cold dishes. In addition, certain nationalities have made a particular watercress use famous in their country.</P> <P>Nature’s Multi-Vitamin: <A href="http://www.watercress.com">Watercress</A> </P> <P>The nutritional properties of watercress have often been chalked up to simple “folklore.” However, in recent years, scientists around the world have come to discover that much of the folklore can now be substantiated by facts. For example, studies have shown that:</P> <P><A href="http://www.watercress.com/pages/healthy/nutritional.htm">Watercress contains more iron than spinach.</A> </P> <P><A href="http://www.watercress.com/pages/healthy/nutritional.htm">Watercress provides more calcium than milk.</A> </P> <P><A href="http://www.watercress.com/pages/healthy/nutritional.htm">Watercress has three times as much Vitamin E as lettuce.</A> </P> <P><A href="http://www.watercress.com/pages/healthy/nutritional.htm">Watercress is packed with vitamins A and C.</A> </P> <P><A href="http://www.watercress.com/pages/healthy/nutritional.htm">Watercress is low in calories and carbohydrates</A> . </P> <P><A href="http://www.watercress.com/pages/healthy/nutritional.htm">Watercress offers150% more folic acid than broccoli.</A> </P> <P><A href="http://www.watercress.com/pages/healthy/nutritional.htm">Watercress also contains significant amounts of protein,lysine, arginine, potassium and beta-carotene</A> </P> <P>We have also dedicated a section of Watercress.com in honor of our many Chinese friends and customers. We joing in the celebration of the Chinese new year by posting some delicious <A href="http://www.warecress.com/newyear.htm"><FONT color=blue><STRONG>Recipes for the Chinese New Year.</STRONG></FONT></A> In addition, we also present some pages in Chinese, replicating a promotional campaign touting watercress’ incredible nutritional benefits to the Chinese.</P> <P>Recent studies have revealed that the Chinese in the United States consume nearly 25% of the watercress enjoyed in this country. They eat it primarily in watercress soup, a staple in most Chinese households, but also enjoy it in stir-fry, steamed and as a bed for meat entrees.</P> <P>It is even more interesting when you consider that the word watercress in Chinese means ‘foreign vegetable,’ as in not indigenous to their country. How then did watercress become such an important part of Chinese cuisine?</P> <P>While we don’t pretend to know the answer, we’ve been told the Chinese find its slight bite and flavor contrast appealing . . . that in watercress soup it seems to bring their body back into balance (both nutritionally and holistically), and well...it just tastes good.</P> <P>What makes Chinese cuisine interesting is the way the Chinese use the watercress (they cook it) and how this relates to the nutritional value of watercress.</P> <P>It’s well known that watercress, ounce-per-ounce, has more calcium than milk, more vitamin C than oranges and more iron than spinach. However, an ounce of uncooked watercress would cover your placemat. An ounce of cooked watercress is literally 3-4 bites.</P> <P>Eat More <A href="http://www.watercress.com/newyear.htm">Watercress</A> ! Turn Over a New Leaf . . . for Life!</P> <P></P> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P><CENTER><A HREF="http://www.watercress.com/newyear.htm">Back To watercress: food for the chinese new year Home Page</A></CENTER> <P></P> <P><SMALL>(c) Copyright 2002 <A HREF="http://www.watercress.com/">Watercress.com </A></SMALL></CENTER> <P></P>   </body>