Watercress: Complete Amino Acid Profile

Watercress ‐ Amino Acids List

Introduction

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is an edible aquatic vegetable known for its peppery flavor and numerous medicinal properties. It’s believed to have been cultivated in Egypt over 3000 years ago and is now widely consumed across the world as both food and medicine. Its leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds are all eaten and used to add unique flavor and nutrition to many dishes. Nutrient-wise, watercress contains high levels of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and glutathione, among other vitamins and minerals. In addition to these nutrients, several amino acids can be found in watercress. Understanding the types and levels of different amino acids in this plant can help explain some of its therapeutic benefits and may provide valuable information to those looking to incorporate it into their diet or health regimen.

Amino Acids Found in Watercress

When exploring the biological makeup of watercress, one learns that 18 essential and nonessential amino acids make up nearly 7% of its composition, making them a key component of not only watercress’ offerings when it comes to nutrition, but also its unique healing ability. Essential amino acids, meaning they cannot be produced by the body, must be obtained from dietary sources such as watercress; meanwhile, nonessential amino acids are generally synthesized within the human body as needed. Here’s a closer look at each of the amino acids currently identified in watercress, divided into two categories:

Essential Amino Acids

Histidine – Histidine is an essential amino acid and precursor of histamine, which plays an important role in the immune response. Histidine is involved in the production of red and white blood cells, functioning in cell division and maintaining pH balance in tissues.

Isoleucine – Isoleucine is an essential branched-chain amino acid. It helps regulate glucose entry into muscle cells and maintains energy metabolism, among other functions. Studies suggest it helps with wound healing and tissue repair due to its regenerative abilities.

Leucine – Leucine is another branched chain essential amino acid linked to building and preserving muscle mass. It also promotes healthy skin and hair. It has various other metabolic roles including improving athletic performance and supporting recovery from physical activity.

Lysine – Lysine is an essential amino acid that facilitates calcium absorption, aids in collagen formation, and positively relates to the release of hormones like growth hormone. It enhances immunity and helps prevent herpes outbreaks by keeping the virus dormant.

Methionine – Methionine is an essential sulfur-containing amino acid considered vital to life because it serves as the starting point for other molecules like cysteine, acetylcholine, carnitine, and taurine. It's a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier as well as serving purposes in digestion and fat absorption.

Phenylalanine – Phenylalanine is an aromatic essential amino acid primarily associated with cognitive processes, memory development, attention span, alertness and mood regulation. It delivers tyrosine, a neurotransmitter connected to ADHD, Parkinson’s disease, depression, and chronic pain prevention.

Threonine – Threonine—a third essential amino acid—is involved in muscle protein synthesis, collagen formation and immune system support. Additionally, threonine repairs damaged connective tissue, maximizes liver function, and balances cholesterol.

Tryptophan – Tryptophan is an essential amino acid best recognized for promoting restful sleep. It takes part in the generation of niacin, serotonin, melatonin, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. It guards against age-related symptoms due to cellular stress response and supports optimal cognitive functioning.

Valine – Yet another founding member of the branched-chain amino acid family is valine, which contributes to improved mental acuity, fortifies moderate exercise performance, combats exhaustion, boosts metabolic rate, nourishes muscles, and sustains psychological wellbeing.

Non-Essential Amino Acids

Alanine – Alanine is a nonessential amino acid frequently seen during intense exercise due to the way it adjusts glycogen metabolism. When present in the intestines, alanine aids in sugar storage and mobilization and stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete growth hormone. It also numbers among the transport proteins aiding immunity reinforcement, anticancer respiration, and fatty acid oxidation.

Arginine – Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid deeply rooted as a stimulant for nitric oxide pathways and vessel wall elasticity within the cardiovascular system. As such, it decreases total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein concentration while encouraging higher output of testosterone and increasing sperm count.

Aspartic Acid – Aspartic Acid is accepted as the “life sparker.” This nonessential amino acid participates in ATP production and accelerates carbon dioxide expulsion through lung ventilation. Aside from delivering energy to muscles, aspartic acid puts forth substantial efforts to process adrenaline and detect DNA anomalies.

Glutamic Acid – Glutamic acid acts similarly to glutamate in that they’re often interchanged. Glutamate is the most abundant physiological agonist in the brain and enables nerve impulses transmission throughout neuronal networks. This particular acid carries out fundamental roles in detoxifying ammonia, increasing energy production, fighting viruses, and releasing energy reserve compounds.

Glycine – Glycine is a nonessential amino acid tethered to the maintenance of sharp cognitive reaction times, neural plasticity, and repaired neuron connections even after traumatic incidents. Glycine operates hardworking relationships with muscle growth and spasticity reduction along with helping bring momentum back to repressed hormonal growth secretion.

Proline – Proline encourages the normalization of arteries and veins, strengthens ligaments surrounding joints, and boosts flexibility, especially around elbows, knees, and wrists. Of far-reaching importance, proline works extensively on collagen secretion triggering improvements in wrinkles, joint pains, dermatitis, and rosacea.

Serine – Serine improves hair and nail health and vitality, introduces youthful vigor and harmony within sexual organs, coordinates antibodies production, performs duties related to vision, cognition, and sporting activities potentials. On top of that, serine promises no neurotoxicity largely attributed to the elevation of GABA.

Conclusion

The wide array of amino acids found in watercress allows us to appreciate just how nutrient-dense and multifaceted this aquatic veggie really is. From assisting our bodies in the fight against illnesses and providing cellular protection to boosting mental focus and regulating glucose uptake, watercress offers versatile and valuable nutritive value thanks to its concentration of amino acids. Proper supplementation of watercress, either through foods and beverages incorporating the veggie or targeted vitamin supplements derived from its components, makes for a powerful tool in holistic diets meant to extend overall longevity and bolster systemic health..