Watercress can help alleviate the stress put on the body by a strenuous gym workout, according to researchers at Edinburgh Napier University and Ulster University.

High-intensity exercise can cause damage to the body’s DNA and the study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that eating small amounts of watercress on a daily basis could help protect against that damage.

Dr Mark Fogarty, from Edinburgh Napier’s School of Life, Sport and Social Sciences, said: “Although we are all aware of how good exercise can be for our bodies, pounding the treadmill, lifting weights, or doing high levels of training can take its toll.

“Those that ate the vegetable just two hours before exercise experienced the same benefits as those who had consumed the vegetable for eight weeks”

“The increased demand on the body for energy can create a build-up of free radicals which can damage our DNA.

“What we’ve found is that consuming a relatively small amount of watercress each day can help raise the levels of important antioxidant vitamins which may help protect our bodies, and allow us to enjoy the rewards of keeping fit.

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