**1. Introduction**

Garden cress (*Lepidium sativum* L.) is a fast growing annual herb that is native to Egypt and west of Asia, and presently it is cultivated in all over the world. In local languages, garden cress (GC) is also known by Chandrasur, and it is considered as an important medicinal crop in India [1]. The plant is an erect, glabrous, annual, herbaceous growing up to the height of about 15–45 cm (**Figure 1**). It has small white flowers in long racemes and the pods are broadly or obovate, rotund, elliptic, emarginated, notched at apex, and winged. Garden cress

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**Figure 1.** Garden cress plants and seeds.

can be sown and harvested several times throughout the year, the January, February, and November are the most suitable months of the year to sow in a Mediterranean climate [2]. Garden cress seed (GCS) possesses several of pharmacological properties like anti-anemic, antioxidant, galactogogues, etc. and has tremendous potential for the development of functional food by fortification with it [3, 4]. Generally, GC is consumed as cooking material and with salad. In recent years, efforts are made to develop human diets in such a way that it acts as medicinal foods in order to exploit several health benefits and to prevent increased diversity of diseases. Isothiocyanates are most important biochemical agents from the human health point of view as they are the major inducers of carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes. The most potent isothiocyanates are benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), which is present in ample quantity in garden cress [5]. GCS have been used in traditional medicine since ancient times in India [6]. The GCS are galactogogue, bitter, thermogenic, depurative, rubefacient, aphrodisiac, ophthalmic, antiscorbutic, antihistaminic, diuretic, and act as tonic. Various diseases such as asthma, coughs with expectoration, diarrhea, dysentery, poultices for sprains, leprosy, skin disease, splenomegaly, dyspepsia, lumbago, leucorrhoea, scurvy, and seminal weakness can be treated using garden cress seed [7]. It is supplemented in the diet of lactating women to increase the milk secretion during postnatal period and also recommended for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery [8, 9]. Seeds of GC are prescribed by Ayurvedic practitioners for the treatment of bronchial asthmatic patients. Garden cress seed oil (GCSO) has a balanced amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (46.8%) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (37.6%). It contains natural antioxidants like vitamin A, E, and eugenol, which help to protect cells from damage by free radicals [10]. It also protects oil from oxidation and causing rancidity. It was reported that GCS contain 22.5% protein, 27.5% fat, 30% dietary fiber, and 1193 mg/100 g potassium [11]. Hence, it can potentially be used as a functional food. The oil content of dried cress seed is 22.7% and the primary fatty acids found in cress oil are oleic (C18:1; 30.6%), linolenic (C18:3; 29.3%), palmitic (C16:0; 9.4%), linoleic (C18:2; 7.6%), erucic (C22:1; 3.0%), stearic (C18:0; 2.8%), and arachidic (C20:0; 2.3%) acids [4, 11]. GCSO contain high concentrations of *γ*-(1422 ppm) and α (356 ppm) tocopherols.

The fruit and vegetable juices are rich sources of vitamin and minerals, but these are limited in protein and fat content. For the compensation of these components, garden cress extract or powder can be added. As garden cress also acts as thickening agent, the combination of both juices and extract may lead to the formation of health promoting beverages having good textural, sensory attributes, and nutritional properties. A beverage was developed by combining lime juice and saccharin, honey, and garlic for the compensation of proteins and fat [12]. Similarly, Mohite et al. designed a health drink by combining GCS powder with skim milk powder for providing promising health benefits [13].
