Is Arugula Good For You
Green leafy vegetables, including arugula, have long been touted as health-promoting foods.
Arugula Has Major Health Benefits — Here’s How to Eat More (Besides Making Salad)
Arugula is a leafy green with a peppery, earthy taste that is an explosion of flavor, which makes it easy to understand why the Brits call it “rocket.” Arugula’s spicy mustard-like qualities add distinct energy to any dish, which has endeared it to legions of aficionados.
This lively green is often thought to be a zestier lettuce or salad green. But, arugula is actually a cruciferous vegetable and a member of the health-enhancing Brassica family, which also includes kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
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Arugula has small flat leaves and long stems. While it’s delicious raw, its flavors can be enhanced and sweetened by a quick sauté or steam. Plus, it’s a low-calorie option that’s chock-full of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, packing a powerful punch of benefits.
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Arugula Nutrition Facts
According to the USDA, in a 1-cup serving of arugula, you’ll get:
Arugula Macros
- Total fat: A cup of raw arugula has 0.1 grams of total fat, which includes 0 milligrams of unsaturated fat, 0 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat.
- Carbohydrates: One cup of raw arugula has 0.7 grams of carbs, which includes 0.3 grams of fiber and 0.4 grams of natural sugars.
- Protein: One cup of raw arugula has 0.5 grams of protein.
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Health Benefits of Arugula
Like many leafy greens, arugula has a rich and varied nutrient profile. It has a small amount of fiber as well as a wide range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
1. It’s Linked to a Reduced Risk of Cancer
Cruciferous vegetables, like arugula, have a group of anti-cancer compounds known as glucosinolates, which are sulfur-containing chemicals.
Glucosinolates break down when cooked and eaten to form biologically active compounds that have been linked to preventing the development of cancer, the National Cancer Institute states.
Epidemiological evidence has tied eating more cruciferous vegetables with a reduced incidence of cancer, according to an article in the December 2014 (BBA) – Reviews on Cancer journal.
Arugula also has high amounts of erucin, which may be responsible for many anticancer activities, according to research in the June 2014 edition of PLOS One.
What’s more, arugula boasts antioxidants, which help protect our cells from oxidative damage. Studies suggest that eating two to three servings of dark leafy greens such as arugula every week is linked to a lower risk of breast, skin and stomach cancer, according to the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
2. It’s Tied to Good Heart Health
Green leafy vegetables, including arugula, have long been touted as health-promoting foods.
In fact, leafy green vegetables are associated with a decreased incidence of heart disease and can help support heart health, according to a January 2016 meta-analysis in JRSM Cardiovascular Disease.
And research shows that a diet rich in fruit and veggies, notably cruciferous vegetables (hello, arugula), is inversely associated with atherosclerosis, according to an April 2018 article in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
3. It Has Nutrients That Are Linked to Bone Health
Our bones bear the brunt of our weight on a daily basis, but did you know that bone is a living tissue that continuously breaks down and rebuilds throughout life?
We typically reach our peak bone mass by the time we hit age 30, after which it may remain fairly steady (depending on diet and lifestyle) for another 20 years, according to Harvard Health Publishing. After that, people going through menopause generally experience bone loss more quickly because of hormonal changes.
That being said, vitamin K is essential for good bone health. And clocking in with more than 25 percent of a person assigned female at births’ (AFAB) daily needs and 18 percent for a person assigned male at birth (AMAB) per 1-cup serving, arugula is high in this bone-building nutrient.
Not getting enough vitamin K is associated with an increased risk of osteoarthritis and fractures in older adults, a June 2014 study in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research found.
Getting enough K can also help reduce bone breakdown and improve bone strength, according to an April 2012 article in the Open Orthopedics Journal.
Arugula
Arugula, also known as Eruca vesicaria, is a cruciferous vegetable, a cousin of broccoli, kale, and cabbage. The leaves have a peppery, spicy flavor that grows more bitter with age. You can also eat the seeds whole or pressed in an oil.
A version of this veggie called “wild arugula” tends to be more pungent. Another variety you might see in the supermarket is “baby arugula.” That’s just a plant that farmers harvest early.
No matter the type you get, these greens pack a nutritious punch.
Arugula Nutrition
Raw arugula is your healthiest option. One hundred grams of arugula has:
- Fat: 0.7 grams
- Carbs: 3.7 grams
- Sodium: 27 milligrams
- Protein: 2.6 grams
Other vitamins and minerals include:
Arugula Health Benefits
Arugula is full of antioxidants — compounds that can protect against or reverse damage to your cells.
Arugula also has glucosinolates. These natural substances, which give arugula its bitter taste and strong scent, may protect you against certain cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers. Arugula may also fight inflammation. It has ample vitamin K, which is good for your bones and may help prevent osteoporosis.
Arugula Risks
There’s little to suggest arugula is bad for you. But if you take medicine known as blood thinners, too much vitamin K could undo their effects. That’s because vitamin K is important to the blood-clotting process.
Arugula Uses
You can use arugula just like you would other leafy greens, especially when you want a spicy bite: Try it:
- As a pizza or baked potato topping
- In pasta
- In salads
- In soups and sauces
- Instead of lettuce in sandwiches
- In omelets or smoothies
Show Sources
Permaculturenews.org: “Astonishing Arugula.”
Nutritionvalue.org: “Arugula, raw.”
National Cancer Institute: “Cruciferous Vegetables and Cancer Prevention.”
National Library of Medicine: “Vitamin K and Bone Health.”
Urban Farming Institute: “Arugula, Rocket (Rouette).”
The Cleveland Clinic: “Why Vitamin K Can be Dangerous if You Take Warfarin.”
