The watercress used in the soup is made from unsold crops which had larger leafs and thicker stems, helping to reduce food waste. The Watercress Company wants to develop a range of ‘nutrient dense’ soups for NHS patients.
An initial trial at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester offers people the chance to ‘grab-a-bag’ of watercress from a fridge for anyone passing through Damers Restaurant. Watercress is a nutrient rich food that contains magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C.
If the trial is a success The Watercress Company hopes to make watercress soup available across the NHS.
Tom Amery, managing director of The Watercress Company, said: “The importance of nutritious food for hospital patients has been discussed for years, with chefs such as Lloyd Grossman, Albert Roux, James Martin and, most recently, Prue Leith all supporting campaigns for its improvement.
“However, it has always proved difficult. We have developed a recipe for a nutrient dense watercress soup with high energy and protein levels that is rich in vitamins and minerals - literally what the doctor ordered!
“It is easy to consume, tasty and, most importantly, it can be made within the existing financial constraints of the current daily meal budget provided to hospital catering teams.”
The watercress soup is in line with the NHS’ preference for patients to consume natural food rather than supplements.
In 2012 The Watercress Company and Dorset County Hospital combined to donate free watercress to help catering teams deliver a ‘nutrient boost’ for their patients, staff and visitors.
Patrica Miller, chief executive of Dorset County Hospital, added: “This is a very exciting project for our Trust to be involved in and we are looking forward to our ongoing partnership with The Watercress Company.”