Properties and Benefits of Arugula: A leafy green member of the Brassicaceae family, arugula or rocket (Eruca sativa) is a popular salad and garden vegetable. Arugula has a slightly pungent aroma which goes perfectly with many salad vegetables and fruits. Italian cuisine advises scattering it on pizza in more than generous amounts alongside flavored mozzarella or even grated Parmesan cheese, combinations which will surely make your taste buds go bananas. Arugula or rocket is native to the sun-kissed Mediterranean regions, where it thrives.
Scientifically known as Eruca sativa, arugula is a beautiful, green vegetable, with elongated, veined leafs. When the plant is still young, it resembles spinach. Arugula has a rather fast growth and can reach 2-3 feet in height. The plant can be adapted to temperate regions as well and it is a known fact that colder weather makes it lose some of its spiciness. Both the leaves and the flowers can be safely eaten and the leaves can be harvested as soon as 3-4 weeks.
But more important, arugula is a complex vegetable, rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Arugula salad is a favorite dish in the Mediterranean region, as well as a wonderful source of phytochemicals such as thiocyanates, sulforaphane and isothiocyanates. These potent antioxidant substances efficiently counteract the carcinogenic effects of estrogen and have cytotoxic effects on tumor cells.
A regular consumption of arugula can do wonders for our health. Because of its incredibly high vitamin K content (90% of the RDI, recommended daily intake), arugula promotes strong, healthy bones and supports blood coagulation. In addition to this, it is especially rich in vitamin A and contains 1424 micrograms of beta-carotene, a provitamin A caretonoid.
Studies suggest that a diet rich in vitamin A and flavonoids offers great protection against both lung and mouth cancers. Moreover, a diet consisting of foods rich in vitamin A, such as arugula, is the key to a beautiful, healthy skin and great vision.
Arugula is a good source of B vitamins as well, especially vitamin B9 or folate. Vitamin B9 is of crucial importance because it prevents neural tube defects in newborns, provided the mother takes it before and during her pregnancy. All of the B vitamins found in arugula, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin and thiamin, are essential for optimal cellular and enzyme-based metabolic functioning and contribute to good digestion and energy production.
Arugula is also a great source of dietary minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. Calcium helps strengthen bones. Iron prevents anemia, contributes to red blood cell formation and helps combat fatigue. Magnesium increases calcium absorption and ensures it deposits in bones rather than joints or heart valves. It also supports muscle activity, heart included. Last but not least, zinc strengthens the immune system.
Interesting fact: did you know that white spots on your fingernails are often a sign of zinc deficiency? Although rocket does not boast overwhelming concentrations of vitamins and minerals, it actually contains almost all important nutrients. This means a helping of arugula can provide the small percentage of a vitamin or mineral still missing from your diet at the end of the day.
Whether you add a handful of arugula to a mixed vegetable salad or on an appetizing pizza, you are definitely making the right choice for your health. Spicy and flavored, this salad veggie is available in most supermarkets worldwide.
If you have a passion for gardening, you can easily grow it at home. Not only will you have a savory, ready-to-eat green, but you will also be supplying your body with a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants because arugula is a wonderfully healthy vegetable.