Garden cress is genetically related to watercress and mustard, sharing their peppery, tangy flavour and aroma.

Consumers commonly acquire cress as seeds or (in Europe) from markets as boxes of young live shoots.

Among dietary minerals, manganese levels are high (26% DV) while several others, including potassium and magnesium, are in moderate content (table).

Garden cress, known as chandrashoor, and the seeds, known as aaliv or aleev in Marathi, or halloon[13] in India, are commonly used in the system of Ayurveda.

[14] It is also known as asario in India[15] and the Middle East where it is prized as a medicinal herb, called habbat al hamra (literally red seeds) in Arabic.