Rich In Nutrients, Arugula Serves Many Benefits Of Health, Read Here

Arugula has been grown in Mediterranean as an edible herb since Roman times. Many classical author of that era mentioned the function of arugula as aphrodisiac. The most famous line form a poem in Roman age was et veneris revocans eruca morantuem (rocket leaves excites the sexual desire of drowsy people). This may explain the reason why at that era, people are forbidden to grow arugula in monasteries. It was listed, however, in a decree by Charlemagne of 802 as one of the pot herbs suitable for growing in gardens.

Arugula ( Eruca sativa ) or known as salad rocket, rucola, rucoli, rugula, colewort, and roquette is one of leavy vegetable that widely consume especially in Italy. Arugula usually added to salad, pizza or another kind of dish which suit to leavy vegetable. Arugula is a low-growing annual plant with dull-green leaves and pungent flavour.

Arugula is one of the first spring vegetable and can be harvested many times with continuous cutting. Arugula can grows fast in cool-season temperature. Its appears that arugula is well adapted to the Midwest area can possibly available in market for long period. Planting arugula is also simple and it can be harvested after 20 to 27 days and will continue growing to get another harvest.

# Lowering risk of cancer

Having leavy vegetable especially cruciferrous is known to has significant effect in lowering the risk of cancer especially colon cancer. Arugula, just like other cruciferous vegetables contains a cancer-fight compound which called sulforaphane. Studies reported that sulforaphane has ability to delay the cancer cell proliferation and inhibit the effect of enzyme histone deacetylase (HDAC) , known as hormone which involved in the growing of cancer cells. Arugula also contains another phytochemical compound such chlorophyll, which effective to block carcinogenic effects of heterocyclic amines that generated when food being grilled at a high temperature.

Based on ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity, a measure of anti-oxidant strength) test arugula contains about 1904 µmol TE per 100 grams. Arugula leaves are rich in phytochemicals such as indoles, thiocyanates, sulforaphane, and iso-thiocyanates which counter carcinogenic effects of estrogen and may protect the body from prostate, breast, cervical, colon, and even ovarian cancers.

# Prevent Diabetes

Arugula as well as other leavy vegetable contains alpha lipoic acid which belong to antioxidant component. Alpha lipoic acid has been reported can lower glucose level in blood and imcrease the sensitivity of insulin. This make arugula is one of leavy vegetable that can be included in diet especially for diabetic people.

# Prevent Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis has become a nightmare for some people nowadays. Osteoporosis happen when bones losing the minerals that compound them and it makes the bones fragile or easily fractured. Osteoporosis usually happen in old age but the chance will increase without adequate calcium and Vitamin K intake. Arugula contains Vitamin K which is important to maintain strong bones by helping the absorbtion of calcium and building bone matrix. Arugula also contributes some amount of calcium which higher the effect in strengthen the bones. In two cups arugula contains 64 milligrams calcium which fulfil daily intake of calcium.

# Relaxing muscle after work out

Arugula can improve endurance when work out and also help to relaxing the muscle after work out. This benefits is served by the presence of nitrate component in arugula. Nitrate supplement known has great effect to improve muscle oxygenation. Adequate and fast oxygen delivery will get rid of lactic acid from which can cause muscle pain and fatigue

# Help to lose weight

Consuming vegetable and fruit always has benefits related to weight lost. Arugula contain fiber which can longer satiety and delay hunger. As well as in other greens leavy vegetable, arugula contain very low calorie. 100 g of fresh leaves just provides 25 calories.

# Strenghten Immune system

Fresh arugula leaves known to contain has effect di-indolyl-methane (DIM) which has further effect in fight viral infection, and acts as anti-bacterial properties. DIM has been proved in reduce the infection of respiratory papillomatosis that caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

# Prevent newborn baby disorder

Arugula or rocket salad is rich in folates. 100 g of fresh arugula leaves contain 97 µg or 24% of folic acid. Folic acid play important role in the development of fetus during pregnancy especially in brain developing. Mother who consume folic acid during pregnancy has protect her baby from neural tube defect and it can be serious disorder for newborn baby.

Arugula is contain lower oxalate level compare to otyher green leavy vegetables such as spinach, purslane, mustard greens, celery, etc. This is why arugula is save and can be consumed during pregnancy and lactation. For your information, oxalate is reactice molecules found in many variety of plant that can create several health problem. Study reported that high amount of oxalate can induce development of mental disorders in children, including autism

# Keeping healthy vision

Arugula also excellent source of vitamin A. Just like carrot, arugula contain beta-caroten which is important to keep the healthy eyes and vision. In 100 g fresh arugula leaves contain 2373 IU vitamin A and 1424 µg of beta-carotene. The carotenes itself will be convert into vitamin A inside the body.

Arugula also contain two components antioxidant, lutein and zeaxanthin that help protect your eye’s macula from sunlight exposure especially UV light and other high-intensity blue light. Those rays can cause problem such as eyestrain and weak vision.

# Boost metabolism

Metabolism is one of important thing in our body. Metabolism process is the main thing to regulate body’s energy. Arugula is a great sources of Vitamin B-complex such as thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. All of those types of Vitamin B complex are essential to optimize the cellular enzymatic and metabolic functions.

# Prevent Scurvy

As mentioned before that arugula contains high amount of vitamin C. Vitamin C is one of powerful anti-oxidant. Foods rich in Vitamin C is well know to help human body protect from scurvy disease and develop resistance against free radicals which can create serious problem as well as oral infection

# Help to prevent brain damage and Alzheimer

Salad rocket or arugula is great sources of vitamin-K. Vitamin K is not only establish its role in maintaining healthy bones but also help limiting the neural damage in brain. Vitamin K is usually used in the treatment of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.