Here at Westlands UK, we grow three types of Watercress, including Micro Watercress, Baby Watercress and Red Watercress. Delicious in a wide range of savoury dishes, Watercress is also full of vitamins and minerals and has one of the strongest-tasting salad leaves. Plus, its vibrant green leaves make a beautiful garnish to an impressive dish.
So which variety of Watercress should you opt for?
Micro Watercress
Available all year round here at Westlands UK, our Micro Watercress has spicy, peppery notes. Micro leaves are young sprouts that are harvested at their first true leaf stage and often have more intense flavours than the full-grown plant. So, expect this little leaf to pack a punch!
Baby Watercress
Baby leaves are sowed from the same seed and are slightly larger than micro leaves. They are harvested later on in the growing process. Our Baby Watercress has the classic peppery and spicy taste of watercress, with hints of floral notes. It’s also available all year round.
Red Watercress
Our Red Watercress has radiant purplish-red hues and an intense peppery taste. Typically 10-12cm in length, these leaves are oval-shaped with thin stems, making them a sophisticated garnish on savoury dishes. Available November to April.
Why choose Watercress from Westlands UK?
British Grown
Our Watercress is grown right here in the Vale of Evesham, meaning that they can be picked, packed and on your plate within a matter of hours. We take the freshness of our produce seriously, and pride ourselves on delivering quality produce, every time.
Best Environment
Housed in our glasshouses, our Watercress benefits from a controlled environment for optimum growing – there’s no intervention from the unpredictable British weather! Plus, our leaves are grown hydroponically, meaning nutrients are fed directly to the roots.
Hydroponic Growing at Westlands
We harvest as much rainwater as we can from the roofs of our glasshouses, only using mains water as a ‘top up’ when we need it. After going through a thorough filtering and cleaning process using both UV and ozone, it is used to irrigate our plants, including our Red, Baby and Micro Watercress. To find out more about our sustainable growing processes, visit our sustainability page.
Recyclable Packaging
The punnets we use to pack our range of leaves, including our Watercress, are made from RPET material which is made from 100% recycled content – the most environmentally friendly and widely recycled material type in the UK. This material is 100% food safe and can be recycled after usage. Taking these steps ensures that we are keeping our carbon footprint as small as possible!
Health Benefits of Watercress
Did you know that Watercress is rich in vitamins and minerals? It’s full of vitamin A and C, and it’s also a source of folate, calcium, iron and vitamin E. Supporting a healthy and balanced diet, Watercress has numerous health benefits and has been known to be the ‘original superfood’.
Watercress is the richest known source of phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), which has been shown to have a range of anti-cancer effects. It also contributes to Watercress’s unique peppery taste!
Packed with a range of natural plant compounds, there is increasing evidence for beneficial effects on human health, including skin and eye health. Plus, just 80g of this little leaf counts as one of your five a day!
Shop our range of Watercress
For more information about our fantastic range of produce, get in touch with us on 01386 41436 or email hello@westlandsuk.co.uk.
