Editor’s Note: Each month, HerbalEGram highlights a conventional food and
briefly explores its history, traditional uses, nutritional profile, and modern
medicinal research. We also feature a nutritious recipe for an easy-to-prepare
dish with each article to encourage readers to experience the extensive
benefits of these whole foods. With this series, we hope our readers will gain
a new appreciation for the foods they see at the supermarket and frequently
include in their diets.
The basic materials for this
series were compiled by dietetic interns from Texas State University (TSU) in
San Marcos and the University of Texas at Austin (UT) through the American
Botanical Council’s (ABC’s) Dietetic Internship Program, led by ABC Education
Coordinator Jenny Perez.
We would like to acknowledge Jenny Perez, ABC Special Projects Director Gayle
Engels, and ABC Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, for their
contributions to this project.
By Hannah Baumana and Min Kwonb
a HerbalGram Assistant Editor b ABC Dietetics Intern (TSU, 2014) History and Traditional Use Range and Habitat
Arugula (Eruca sativa, Brassicaceae),
also known as rucola and rocket, is a weedy annual that is drought-tolerant and
prefers a hot, dry climate.1,2 The name “arugula” is a modern
American designation and likely derives from the Italian term “rucola.”3
The name “rocket” is more common in British English, as is roquette in France. Both rucola and roquette are diminutives of the
Latin eruca, which means
“caterpillar” and may refer to the fuzzy appearance of the young stems. The
different names for arugula demonstrate the wide area where it grows, in a
swath of the northern Mediterranean and the near east that stretches from
Portugal to Afghanistan.1 It has been naturalized in northern Europe
and North America.4
Arugula is distinguished by its upright stem, which can have four-petaled
white, yellow, or purple flowers, as well as its green, aromatic, serrated
leaves.5 Its thin, narrow fruit is a pod filled with small, oil-rich
seeds.1 Although it is commonly thought of as a relative of spinach
or lettuce, it is actually a cruciferous vegetable of the family Brassicaceae,
which includes broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, and cabbage.
The leaves and seeds of arugula are both edible. The leaves boast an aromatic,
peppery, and mustard-like flavor and are mainly consumed raw in
salads. Young leaves are tenderer and have a milder flavor, while mature leaves
are larger, woodier, and more bitter.4 The seeds can be pressed for
oil.1
Phytochemicals and Constituents
As a leafy green vegetable and a member of the family Brassicaceae, arugula is
an extremely nutrient-dense food. It is low in calories and rich in vitamins A,
C and K, folate, magnesium, and calcium.3 Calcium, magnesium, and
potassium help control blood pressure and maintain bone health. It also
provides riboflavin, potassium, copper, iron, and zinc. Arugula’s health
benefits are a potent combination of cruciferous vegetable and leafy green, as
it contains compounds found in both: glucosinolates, a group of compounds which
exert powerful anticancer and detoxifying mechanisms, and antioxidant
phytochemicals such as carotenes and chlorophyll. Compared to other brassica
plants, arugula has one of the highest beta-carotene, kaempferol, and quercetin
contents.6
Arugula seed oil, commonly called taramira or jamba oil, is likewise rich in
glucosinolates.2 It also contains high amounts of erucic and
gadoleic acids, which have more commercial than health benefits, as detailed in
the following section.
Historical and Commercial Uses
Ancient and modern practitioners interpret arugula’s peppery taste as a fiery,
“lively” quality, which lends itself to a variety of different uses. In the
ancient world, the Romans and the Egyptians considered arugula to be a potent
aphrodisiac which was used to “restore vigor to the genitalia,” and planted it
at the base of statues of the god Priapus7, who was considered the
god of fertility, livestock, and gardens.
Its reputation as an aphrodisiac was widespread and persistent, and some
monasteries banned its cultivation on their grounds, citing its “hotness and
lechery.”
Arugula had widespread use in Greco-Arab and Islamic medicine practices,
primarily for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.8
It was taken orally as a general tonic for wellness and as an aid to digestion
and kidney function. Additionally, records exist of a physician’s prescribing a
topical treatment of ground seeds mixed with cream for acne. Evidence of
arugula use and cultivation dates back to the Hellenistic Period in Greece (323
BCE – 31 BCE).
Due to its high vitamin A and C content, arugula has been used as a therapeutic
food for eye infections and nightblindness, and its sharpness and astringency
reveals its stimulant, diuretic, and antiscorbutic (effective against scurvy)
properties.2 Many of its modern and traditional uses overlap with
dandelion greens, to which it is very similar in taste and nutritional profile.
The leaves have also been used topically as a rubefacient (drawing blood to the
surface of the skin) to improve circulation.
The fresh leaves of arugula has been consumed and favored as a salad green in
Mediterranean countries for centuries. With the growing popularity of the
Mediterranean cuisine, its consumption continues to grow in the United States
as well as the rest of the world. Arugula is best consumed raw or very lightly
cooked, as many of its beneficial compounds (chlorophyll, glucosinolates, and
isothiocyanates) degrade quickly when heated.
In India, Pakistan, and Iran, arugula is grown as a commercial oilseed crop. Due
to its high erucic acid content, taramira oil and similar oils are used as
commercial lubricants and as massage oils.2 The seed matter left
behind after oil processing is used as livestock fodder. Where it is popular,
including India, taramira oil also has widespread culinary use, though it must
age for six months after processing to mellow its initial overwhelming acrid
taste. Once aged, the oil can be used in salads and for cooking purposes, and
is a traditional ingredient in pickles and mustard.
Modern Research
As a member of the Brassicaceae family, arugula shares the extensively-studied
effects of its relatives, such as broccoli and kale.
Cruciferous vegetables are excellent sources of antioxidants and are highly
regarded for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, chemo-preventive, and
cardio-protective effects.9-13 They have high levels of
sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates which, when crushed or
chewed, turn into indoles and isothiocynates. These two bioactive constituents
have been shown to be potent cancer-fighters, protecting against many forms of
cancers, including breast,14 prostate,15 and colorectal
cancer.16
Arugula can be a valuable addition to the diet of people with Crohn’s disease
and other gastrointestinal conditions, providing valuable vitamins, minerals,
and insoluble fiber.6 Those who suffer from Crohn’s disease are at
higher risk for vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition as a result of a limited
diet; however, in a 2012 clinical study, almost 80% of subjects reported no
change to their symptoms after consuming steady amounts of arugula. Though
cruciferous vegetables are considered off-limits to people following a
low-FODMAP diet (which seeks to eliminate fermentable oglio-, di-, and mono-saccharides
and polyols due to a bacterial imbalance in the gut), arugula was well
tolerated and also should be considered as a nutrient-dense addition for people
with these sensitivities.
Nutrient Profile17
Macronutrient Profile: (Per 1 cup arugula leaves)
5 calories 0.52 g protein 0.73 g carbohydrate 0.13 g fat
Secondary
Metabolites: (Per
1 cup arugula leaves)
Excellent source
of: Vitamin K: 21.7 mcg (27.13% DV)
Good source of: Vitamin A: 475 IU (9.5% DV) Vitamin C: 3 mg (5% DV) Folate: 19 mcg (4.75% DV) Vitamin E: 0.09 mg (4.48% DV) Calcium: 32 mg (3.2% DV)
Also provides: Magnesium: 9 mg (2.25% DV) Potassium: 74 mg (2.11% DV) Iron: 0.29 mg (1.61% DV) Dietary Fiber: 0.3 g (1.2% DV) Riboflavin: 0.02 mg (1.18% DV) Vitamin B6: 0.02 mg (1% DV) Phosphorus: 10 mg (1% DV)
DV = Daily Value as established by the US
Food and Drug Administration, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Recipe: Arugula and Walnut Pesto
Ingredients:
- 1/2
cup raw, unsalted walnuts halves
- 2
cups fresh arugula leaves
- 1-2
garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2
cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2
cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
to taste
Directions:
- In a
dry, nonstick skillet over medium heat, toast walnuts until lightly browned and
fragrant. Be careful not to burn. Remove from the heat.
- In a
food processor, combine arugula, walnuts, and garlic and pulse until roughly
chopped. Continue pulsing, drizzling in olive oil in a steady stream until
combined. Stir in Parmesan cheese and add salt to taste.
-
Alternatively,
this recipe can be made with a mortar and pestle. Roughly chop the arugula
leaves and toast walnuts as described, then combine nuts, salt, and garlic in
mortar and grind until smooth. Then add the cheese, olive oil, and arugula, and
continue grinding until smooth.
References
- Van
Wyk B. Food Plants of the World: An
Illustrated Guide. Portland, OR: Timber Press, Inc; 2006.
- Grubben
GJH, ed. Vegetables. Wageningen,
Netherlands: PROTA Foundation; 2004.
- Murray
M, Pizzorno J. The Encyclopedia of Healing
Foods. New York, NY: Atria Books; 2005.
- Madison
D. Edible: An Illustrated Guide to the
World’s Food Plants. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society; 2008.
- Bailey LH, Bailey EZ. Hortus Third. New York, NY: Macmillan; 1976.
- Campbell
B, Han DY, Triggs CM, Fraser AG, Ferguson LR. Brassicaceae: nutrient analysis
and investigation of tolerability in people with Crohn’s disease in a New
Zealand study. Functional Foods in Health
and Disease. 2012;2(11):460-468.
- Onstad
D. Whole Foods Companion: A Guide for
Adventurous Cooks, Curious Shoppers & Lovers of Natural Foods. White
River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Company; 1996.
- Saad
B, Said O. Greco-Arab and Islamic Herbal
Medicine: Traditional System, Ethics, Safety, Efficacy, and Regulatory Issues.
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2011.
- Manchali
S, Murthy KNC, Patil BS. Crucial facts about health benefits of popular
cruciferous vegetables. J of Func Foods.
2012;4(1):94-106.
- Björkman
M, Klingen I, Birch ANE, et al. Phytochemicals of Brassicaceae in plant
protection and human health-influences of climate, environment and agronomic
practice. Phytochemistry. 2011;72(7):538-556.
- Sulforaphane
Glucosinolate Monograph. Alternative
Medicine Review [serial online]. December 2010;15(4):352-360.
- Reidl
MA, Saxon A, Diaz-Sanchez D. Oral sulforaphane increases phase II antioxidant
enzymes in the human upper airway. Clin
Immunol. 2009;130:244-251.
- Johansson
NL, Pavia CS, Chiao JW. Growth inhibition of a spectrum of bacterial and fungal
pathogens by sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate product found in broccoli and
other cruciferous vegetables. Planta Med.
2008;74:747-750.
- Pledgie-Tracy
A, Sobolewski M, Davidson N. Sulforaphane induces cell type-specific apoptosis
in human breast cancer cell lines. Molecular
Cancer Therapeutics. 2007;6:1013–1021.
- Herman-Antosiewicz
A, Johnson DE, Singh SV. Sulforaphane causes autophagy to inhibit release of
cytochrome c and apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells. Cancer Research. 2006; 66: 5828–5835.
- Seow
A, Yuan JM, Sun CL, Van Den Berg D, Lee HP, Yu MC. Dietary isothiocyanates,
glutathione S- transferase polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk in the
Singapore Chinese Health Study. Carcinogenesis.
2002;23:2055–2061.
- Basic
Report: 11959 Arugula, raw. Agricultural Research Service, United States
Department of Agriculture website. Available here. Accessed March
29, 2016.
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