Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, chard and Chinese cabbage are extremely rich in nutrients.

However, they are surpassed by a food that you probably don’t think about: watercress.

This puts the power herb at the top of the list of the 41 healthiest fruits and vegetables compiled by Jennifer Di Noia, a professor at William Paterson University.

The list, published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, offers an insight into the world’s most nutrient-dense foods.

These are arranged according to the amounts of 17 nutrients, including fiber, potassium and protein, vitamin B12, vitamin A and D, and calcium folate.

The foods were weighted according to a special scheme. The proportion of valuable ingredients was set in relation to the number of calories. The higher the value, the healthier and more valuable the plant is for our diet.

Watercress is the only food that manages to cover 100 percent of the daily nutritional needs per 100 kcal consumption.

This puts it ahead of other powerhouses such as Chinese cabbage (91.99%), chard (89.27%) and even spinach (86.43%).

It is no coincidence that watercress has secured first place in the rankings. It combines many nutrients, all of which contribute significantly to our health.

In addition to a significant amount of iron, calcium and vitamin C, there are also 14 important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals that are even effective against diseases.

Vitamins A and C protect against infections and strengthen the immune system, calcium, potassium and magnesium support bone and muscle development and vitamin K can even prevent cell damage in the brain.

But it gets even better: the antioxidants protect you from DNA damage and can thus minimize the risk of various types of cancer.

In general, it is advisable to use high-quality ingredients when cooking. “High-quality foods provide more nutrients per calorie,” explains Di Noia.

“Our findings can help educate consumers on how to get the most nutrients from their food, which can be critical to reducing the risk of many diseases.”

By the way, the top places in the ranking are all taken by vegetables. The best fruits are: red pepper, pumpkin, tomato and lemon.

The original of this article “This is the healthiest food in the world” comes from FitForFun.