Younger sprouts have a more mild flavor and tender, hollow stems. This makes them ideal for raw preparations, like adding to salads and topping dishes like you would with parsley and cilantro. Mature watercress takes on a much more intense and peppery flavor. The stems also become more tough and fibrous, so they should be cooked down to be made more palatable.

Dr. Lee grew up eating plenty of watercress in stir fries and savory broths. Just like with any vegetable, Dr. Lee says it’s important to not overcook them. “The longer you cook vegetables, the more the vitamins escape,” she says. “It leeches into the cooking liquid and you’re left with the vegetables and nothing else.”

That’s not to say that the best way to eat it is raw, however. For mature watercress especially, breaking down some of the fibrous stems through cooking helps to make more of the nutrients bioavailable. “There’s only so much time to break down and metabolize food before it moves through your digestive system,” Dr. Lee says. “It’s a balancing act.”