Nutritional Significance and Usage of Garden Cress Seeds (Lepidium sativum L) – A Review

Abstract

Garden cress seeds are traditionally used in some geographic regions as functional food. In some parts of India, it is given to pregnant and lactating mothers as milk-based beverage. It is used in salads, soups and smoothies in western countries. Although garden cress seeds packed with nutrients, comprehensive research on all the nutrients information (both macro and micro nutrients) was needed. Understanding the nutritional benefits can help in development of food products and extending the usage to other geographical areas. The present review tries to explore the nutritional composition of this less familiar food. 100 g of garden cress seeds provide 445.18 kcal of energy, 24.11 g protein, 24.12 g fat, 9.01g fiber. In addition, Garden cress seeds also provide calcium (320.45mg/100g), magnesium (353.87mg/100g), phosphorus (619.82mg/100g), potassium (1141.67mg/100g) and iron (11.70mg/100g). Many food scientists have incorporated the seeds in local recipes and they are found to be acceptable by the sensory panel. Scaling up and commercialization of these products is needed to popularise the usage of these seeds. As garden cress seeds are rich in micronutrients and help in combating micro nutrient deficiency.