Watercress Wake Up Juice

The first sign that spring is coming is when my dad brings us a bag of watercress. In early March, since I was a little girl, there is a place that he goes to pick watercress. It grows along the sides of slow moving rivers and streams. As a kid, I used to hate the taste of it. It was spicy and sometimes a tad on the bitter side. Now, I look forward to that spicy bitter green every year!

The first time I was pregnant was when he gave us our first bag. I had a book about different foods that were good for you at different stages of your pregnancy. Watercress is very high in iron and calcium. In fact, it has more calcium than milk and more iron than spinach! It's also a good natural source of folate. This mixture is a dream for pregnant women! During my second pregnancy, I was anemic, but sadly it was the wrong season so I had to buy watercress. It was well worth it. It's rich in fiber, anti-oxidants, iodine, vitamin C, beta-carotene. Did I mention it's great for your skin and hair? This stuff is amazing, right!?!

Let me quickly just say that I am not pregnant now, but I love watercress pregnant or not. This stuff is too good for me to pass up! This weekend, my parents brought over a bag (he even washes it for us!). I've been adding it to every sandwich, every salad and this morning it was finally time to have some juice for a big good morning punch! Watercress totally gets me going in the morning, add it with the natural sugars and vitamins of apples and carrots and you will surely think twice about that cup of coffee you think you need. I also like adding some ginger to this juice when I have it. I usually use ginger to help aid digestion, but it can also help speed up your metabolism and circulation.

Thanks for the watercress Dad. We love it and you!