Garden Cress Seeds

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Garden cress seeds (Lepidium sativum L., family Brassicaceae) are edible whole seeds with a long history of culinary and traditional medicinal use across India, the Middle East, and Africa. They are valued as a functional food ingredient owing to their high content of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fibre, iron, calcium, and diverse bioactive phytochemicals including glucosinolates, alkaloids, and flavonoids.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Toxicological studies have found garden cress seeds free from serious side or toxic effects at typical dietary doses, with no mortality or significant adverse effects observed at doses up to 3 g/kg in rodent models. However, the seeds have documented inhibitory activity on hepatic drug-metabolising enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP3A4, raising a clinically important herb–drug interaction risk for individuals on relevant medications. The seeds contain estrogen-like phytochemicals and have emmenagogue properties, warranting caution in pregnancy; glucosinolates present may also pose a theoretical concern for thyroid function at very high supplemental doses.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Garden cress seeds do not hold an E number and are not regulated as a food additive in the EU. They are consumed as a food/herb/spice and are under general botanical food provisions. EFSA has not issued a formal safety opinion specific to garden cress seeds as a food additive or supplement ingredient.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Garden cress seeds are recognised as a traditional food ingredient in India (commonly known as halim, chandrashura, or aliv). They are consumed as a whole food and used in fortified products; no specific maximum daily intake has been established by FSSAI. The seeds fall under general food/spice provisions and are not classified as a restricted food additive.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) is consumed as a whole food/spice in the US and is not listed as a regulated food additive. It is not subject to a formal GRAS notice as an isolated additive; its use as a culinary herb and seed is generally accepted under traditional food use provisions. No specific ADI or maximum level has been established by the FDA.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Garden cress seeds contain estrogen-like phytochemicals and have traditional emmenagogue (uterine-stimulating) properties, which may pose a risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes at supplemental doses beyond normal culinary use.

Thyroid Disease — The seeds contain glucosinolates, a class of compounds known to interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis at high intake levels; individuals with existing thyroid disorders should limit supplemental consumption.

Other — Garden cress seeds inhibit hepatic CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 enzymes, potentially increasing blood levels of a wide range of co-administered pharmaceutical drugs metabolised by these pathways, requiring medical review for any patient on relevant medications.

Infants — No safety data exists for high-dose or supplemental use in infants; normal culinary exposure is unlikely to be harmful, but concentrated seed preparations are not established as safe for this age group.

Lactation — While seeds are traditionally used as a galactagogue (milk-promoting agent), the hormonal activity of estrogen-like compounds warrants consultation with a healthcare provider before use beyond normal dietary amounts during lactation.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Effect of Garden Cress Seeds Powder and Its Alcoholic Extract on the Metabolic Activity of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Garden cress seeds: a review on nutritional composition, therapeutic potential, and industrial utilization, 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Anti-inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Properties of Lepidium sativum, 2022. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Chemical composition of garden cress (Lepidium sativum) seeds and its fractions and use of bran as a functional ingredient, 2004. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Pharmacological and safety evaluation studies on Lepidium sativum L., Seeds, 1994. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations