How many in CEA grow watercress? It has surprisingly good health benefits

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Greenhouse for Growing Leafy Greens in Texas. 

We know the CEA industry is advancing with facilities like those above producing food with great health benefits. But, how many of us know the benefits of individual leafy greens and herbs? We want to delve into one in particular that stands out for us; – watercress, is a powerhouse in health circles, and is rich in vitamin A, C and E, as well as an excellent source of iron, magnesium and calcium. Watercress contains high levels of proven anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer compounds called glucosinolates which are effective in promoting cancer cell death. 

Watercress (nasturtium officinale) is a semi-aquatic plant and is easy to grow in hydroponic systems like the one above. Both genotype and environment can have a significant impact on plant morphology, nutritional quality, and yield. The herb has a 12 week cropping cycle, perfect for glasshouses, and vertical farms. For year-round production of good quality watercress in plant factories, it is important to understand the growth and quality responses to photoperiod and light intensity. A recent study showed an increased watercress biomass under a light intensity of 160 µmol/m²/s and photoperiod of 20 hrs. 

Nasturtium officinale – have you thought about marketing the most densely packed leafy green directly to hospital kitchens?

Watercress is a urease inhibitor – could it help neutralize urease produced by a bacterium in the stomach that causes stomach ulcers?

Forty years ago, no one believed bacteria could survive in the highly acidic human stomach. Today, we know 40% of people carry a bacterium that survives in the gut. For most, it is completely harmless, but for around 10% of those people, it leads to more serious health problems. 

This clever bug is called Helicobacter Pylori, and it survives in the acid lining of our stomachs by using a unique trick. It creates its own controlled environment, and it does this by secreting an enzyme called urease around itself. This enzyme breaks down urea into ammonia and carbonic acid, neutralizing stomach acid around it and raising the pH so the surviving Helicobacter can thrive. 

How does bacteria in the stomach cause an ulcer?

The local increase in pH acts as a switch to trick the stomach into producing more acid to lower the pH again, and it is this excess acid that flows into the acid sensitive area of the lower intestine called the duodenum, resulting in a painful ulcer. 

Image of H Pylori courtesy of my PhD supervisor, Professor Ken McColl. He was in the audience when Barry Marshall announced the discovery of Helicobacter in 1984. There were many who didn’t believe it, but Marshall would go on to win the Nobel Prize for Medicine alongside pathologist Robin Warren for their discovery. Marshall even gets a name-check in the 2011 film ‘Contagion’ about a viral pandemic and the rush to formulate vaccines to save the world. Who would have guessed that was on the cards?

In 1996, I was a young pharmacologist in Professor McColl’s gastroenterology research group based in the Dept of Therapeutics & Medicine at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow. Fast forward to today and I try to connect complex pharmacology to the therapeutic effects of bioactives found in the plants we grow in CEA. Some of these plants may hold the key to treating many common diseases.

Can bioactives found in plants ever be used to treat disease? 

Forty years on from the discovery of Helicobacter, we are starting to understand how phytonutrients from plants like watercress could provide natural solutions to help combat common conditions. This is because watercress has significant levels of a urease inhibitor that could block the pathway which leads to overproduction of acid in the stomach as well as significant anti-cancer activity.

“Watercress is the new kale” Gail Taylor, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Dept of Plant Sciences at UC Davis. 

Lauren Hibbert from the Dept of Plant Sciences at UC Davis tells us how VF can improve watercress production and how in their experience, varying percentages of blue light led to the discovery of a new anti-cancer glucosinolate in watercress. Increased yields of watercress are only seen in VF when compared to outdoor geographical locations in the UK.   

“Watercress is the most nutrient dense leafy green on the planet, so I will be eating clumps of it from now on” said one UAN contributor. 

What are you waiting for, get out there and grow some watercress. We can help give advice on the best LED lights to use for increased efficiency. 

Disclaimer – if you are experiencing symptoms of GI acid reflux please consult a medical practitioner. Our article is not advocating watercress as a substitute for antibiotics, commonly recommended for treatment of Helicobacter Pylori. 

Janet Colston PhD is pharmacologist with an interest in growing ‘functional’ foods that have additional phytonutrients and display medicinal qualities that are beneficial to human health. She grows these using a range of techniques including plant tissue micropropagation and controlled environmental agriculture to ensure the highest quality control.