John Myers
The spicy, nutty taste of rocket makes it a popular ingredient for salads, pizza or pasta. Arugula has also been used as a remedy for a long time. Studies show its antioxidant properties and its positive effects on diabetes. The valuable mustard oils in rocket give the plant, also known as rocket, anti-cancer potential.
Rocket originally comes from Mediterranean regions
Arugula ( Eruca sativa ) is a popular salad plant in the cruciferous family. Rocket – also known as rocket – originally comes from Mediterranean regions and is widespread from the Mediterranean region to Afghanistan. There it has been used for a long time both in medicine and in the kitchen.
Already in ancient times, the Greek doctor Dioskorides described the diuretic and digestive effects of the plant. It has also long been a popular condiment due to the pungent flavor of the leaves.
For a long time, however, rocket salad was not considered in our country and only gained attention in the 80s, when Italian cuisine also became popular in German-speaking countries. Since then it has become indispensable in salads or as a topping on pizza.
The leaves of the rocket are reminiscent of dandelion leaves. They are long and narrow, the leaf margin is jagged. However, the two plants are not related. Because the dandelion belongs to the daisy family, the rocket to the cruciferous family.
These types of arugula are distinguished
Arugula is related to cabbage, radishes and horseradish. They all belong to the cruciferous family. There are two different types of rocket:
- the garden or salad rocket (Eruca sativa) and
- wild rocket ( Diplotaxis tenuifolia or narrow-leaved double seed)
Both have the typical spicy, nutty taste, but with different intensity. While the wild rocket tastes hot and spicy or bitter due to the higher content of mustard oils, the taste of the garden or salad rocket is milder.
The two types of plants also differ in appearance. The garden or salad rocket, which is cultivated as an annual, has a rounded shape with a slightly wavy leaf edge, while the wild, perennial rocket has a strongly serrated leaf shape.
Despite the misleading name “wild rocket”, this type of rocket is also cultivated. Since it is perennial, you can cut it back to the ground in autumn and cover it with brushwood or leaves. It will sprout again in spring.
The nutritional value of arugula
Like all leafy greens, arugula is mostly water, so it’s low in calories and nutrients. The following values refer to 100 g rocket:
- Calories: 26 kcal
- Water: 86.9 g
- Fat: 0.7g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g (of which 1 g glucose, 0.5 g fructose, 0.2 g sucrose)
- Egg white: 2.5 g
- Dietary fiber: 1.5 g
- PRAL value: -6.7 (foods with a negative sign (minus) are considered basic)
The vitamins of arugula
Arugula contains a number of valuable vitamins such as vitamin C , beta-carotene and vitamin K , the daily requirement of which can be partially or even fully covered by a 100 g portion of arugula.
When you make a nice arugula salad with 100g of arugula (about two handfuls), you’re getting over 300% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin K – the vitamin for strong bones, healthy blood and clean arteries.
At almost 60 mg, the vitamin C content in rocket is even higher than in citrus fruits, so your rocket salad covers 60 percent of your vitamin C requirements. In addition, beta-carotene (almost 70% of the daily requirement), which is converted into vitamin A by the body as required and is important for the eyes, mucous membranes and bones.
You can find all the values per 100 g of raw rocket in our vitamin table:
| Vitamin | Amount in µg per 100 g rocket | Daily requirement for adults of this vitamin in µg |
| Vitamin A (retinol equivalent) | 221 | 900 |
| Beta carotene | 1,330 | 2,000 |
| Vitamin B1 (thiamine) | 38 | 1,100 |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 86 | 1,200 |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 285 | 15,000 |
| Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) | 95 | 6,000 |
| Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 67 | 2,000 |
| Vitamin B7 (biotin) | 0.4 | 100 |
| Vitamin B9 (folate/folic acid) | 38 | 300 |
| Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) | 0 | 3 – 4 |
| Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 59 | 100 |
| Vitamin D (Calciferol) | 0 | 20 |
| Vitamin E (tocopherol equivalent) | 950 | 14,000 |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 238 | 70 |
The minerals and trace elements in rocket
Arugula is rich in minerals and trace elements. With 100 g rocket lettuce you can cover your daily requirement of calcium 15%, manganese 14% and iron and copper 11%
Minerals
The content of all minerals per 100 g of raw rocket can be found in the following table:
| Minerals | Amount in mg per 100 g rocket | Daily requirement of an adult of this mineral |
| sodium | 26 | 1,500 |
| potassium | 351 | 4,000 |
| calcium | 152 | 1,000 |
| magnesium | 32 | 350 |
| phosphorus | 61 | 700 |
| sulfur | 95 | k. A |
| chloride | 104 | 2,300 |
Trace elements
The content of all trace elements per 100 g rocket can be found below:
| Trace element | Amount in mg/µg per 100 g rocket | Daily requirement of an adult of this trace element |
| iron | 1.4 mg | 12.5 mg |
| zinc | 0.38 mg | 8.5 mg |
| copper | 133 µg | 1,250mcg |
| manganese | 475 mcg | 3,500mcg |
| fluoride | 23 µg | 3,800mcg |
| iodide | 1.9 µg | 200mcg |
Mustard oils in arugula have anti-cancer properties
Rocket has a high content of mustard oils, which give it its typical hot, spicy and bitter taste. With these substances, all plants from the cruciferous family – including arugula – protect themselves from caterpillars, grasshoppers, fungi, bacteria and viruses.
However, the mustard oils only develop when the plant is nibbled on by animals or humans. The inactive precursor of mustard oil, the plant substance glucosinolate, is converted into the active and effective form of mustard oil by the enzyme myrosinase.
Mustard oils not only protect the plant itself, but have also been shown to be an effective remedy against bacteria, viruses, fungi, inflammation and even cancer in humans since ancient times. The most researched mustard oil is sulforaphane . It has been studied in particular in broccoli, but is also present in arugula.
In cell and animal studies, sulforaphane showed an anti-cancer effect in melanoma (skin cancer), esophageal cancer, prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer, among others. For example, sulforaphane can inhibit certain enzymes (so-called histone deacetylases) that are involved in the development of cancer cells. This amazing ability makes arugula and other vegetables containing mustard oil promising foods for cancer therapy.
Arugula for strong bones
Even a small amount of arugula per day (about 30 g) is enough to cover the daily requirement of vitamin K , which, along with calcium and vitamin D , is essential for strong and healthy bones. It is only through the vitamin that the bones and teeth get the calcium they need from the blood and the protein osteocalcin, which is involved in bone formation, is activated. By stimulating bone formation, it can even counteract osteoporosis. A sufficient supply of vitamin K is also important for properly functioning blood clotting and for the prevention and regression of hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis).
Arugula helps with stomach ulcers
Stomach ulcers are deep sores in the lining of the stomach caused by excess stomach acid and often by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. The positive effects of rocket were already known in traditional medicine and can also be proven by recent studies.
It could be shown on rats that arugula extract reduced gastric acid secretion and caused a reduction in ulcers. In addition, arugula has the ability to reduce the enzyme urease, which enables the bacterium Helicobacter pylori to colonize the gastric mucosa.
Arugula as a natural aphrodisiac
Even the Romans benefited from the desire and fertility-enhancing effect of the lettuce plant. Because it appears that arugula extract leads to a significant increase in testosterone levels as well as sperm activity and a reduction in sperm death.
The aphrodisiac effect is not only caused by the leaves of the arugula, but also by the seeds. However, it could be shown on rats that oil from arugula seeds should only be used in small doses, since high doses lead to the opposite effect, namely the suppression of sperm formation.
Anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive effects of arugula
Already in traditional medicine, arugula was considered a remedy for various inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory skin diseases. Recent findings show that rocket seeds in particular play an important role. These represent a promising means of preventing and treating inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis (psoriasis) and are said to be effective in the form of a cream in the treatment of acne.
The anti-inflammatory effect can also be seen in edema and is attributed to both the mustard oils contained in rocket and the flavonoids (plant pigments). Edema is swelling caused by fluid buildup and commonly occurs in the legs and ankles.
The lettuce plant also makes an important contribution to heart health . Because of its anti-inflammatory and blood pressure-lowering properties, there is a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Don’t be afraid of high nitrate levels in arugula
For most plants, nitrate is an indispensable substance for building proteins. On the one hand, nitrate is already contained in the soil, but in conventional agriculture it is also applied via fertilizers containing nitrate.
Arugula is one of the vegetables that are particularly fond of nitrates, store a lot of them and are therefore often particularly high in nitrates. Although the substance itself is harmless, some studies have linked it to the development of cancer due to the nitrosamines it produces.
However, many studies also show that nitrate has health-promoting effects. Because nitrate is the precursor of nitric oxide, a substance that relaxes the blood vessels and thus leads to better blood circulation, relief for the heart and falling blood pressure. A healthy level of nitric oxide also reduces the risk of blood clots forming. At the same time, performance in sport increases.
In addition, many studies have shown that vegetables and fruits have a protective effect against certain types of cancer, from which it is concluded that other ingredients such as vitamin C or E protect against the harmful effects. In addition, arugula and other vegetables provide us with essential vitamins and minerals, so the benefits far outweigh the possible risks.
However, if you prefer to use arugula with a lower nitrate content, be sure to buy organic arugula. In contrast to conventional cultivation, no nitrate-containing fertilizers may be used here. Arugula that is grown outdoors and washed before consumption also contains less nitrate; the same applies to rocket, which is only harvested at midday or in the early afternoon, since it has already used up some of its nitrates in the morning hours.
Grow your own arugula
Rocket can be grown in the garden or alternatively on the balcony in flower boxes, tubs or raised beds. In general, the cultivation of the fast-growing plant is very easy, as it is insensitive and does not place high demands on the soil and climate.
Arugula prefers a sunny to semi-shady position and needs a good water supply. It can be sown from April to September and should be harvested when it is 10 cm tall and before flowering, otherwise it will taste intense, pungent and bitter.
If the tuft of leaves is not cut off at the very bottom, the rocket will grow back and can be harvested several times. To avoid flea infestation, which eats round holes in the rocket, the soil should be regularly loosened and kept moist. A fine-meshed net that is stretched or laid over the bed immediately after sowing helps, ideally over tunnel arches, which you can make yourself from willow rods or buy in garden accessories stores.
Arugula as insect and bee pasture
Feel free to sow more arugula than you can ultimately harvest and let it bloom, as the flowers are a favorite of honeybees, wild bees, and many other wild insects. You can then harvest your own seeds for the next year.
However, you must have used solid seeds for your rocket, as the typical hybrids from the seed companies do not necessarily produce the expected plants again. So when you buy seeds, google “fixed seed” and it’s best to use organic seeds as well.
Pull arugula sprouts
Another way of benefiting from the valuable ingredients in rocket is to cultivate rocket sprouts. Especially in winter, when there are few native lettuce leaves, sprouts are a perfect alternative, especially since they can be easily grown indoors. When buying the seeds, make sure that the packaging says “germ seeds”, “sprout seeds” or “germ sprouts”, as not all seeds are suitable for sprouting.
Arugula seeds do not have to be soaked beforehand and can best be grown on non-woven paper or a cress sieve. It is important that the granules do not overlap each other, as this can lead to mold growth. The seeds should be moistened with a spray bottle twice a day and are ready to eat after about 6-7 days.
Arugula should not be grown in the practical sprouting jars – just like the cress. Both seeds are slimy seeds that are difficult to rinse, which is why they are prone to mold in the germination jar.
Store arugula correctly
Arugula contains the most vitamins when consumed as soon as possible after harvest. Wrapped in damp kitchen paper or a cloth, it can be stored in the refrigerator for two days without any significant loss of valuable ingredients.
What you should consider when buying arugula
Arugula and other types of lettuce from conventional cultivation are often heavily contaminated with pesticides. A Greenpeace study of arugula and lettuce contamination found that 29 out of 36 samples had pesticide residues and three samples exceeded the legal limit. Unauthorized and several harmful pesticides are often used at the same time. In the study, however, organic arugula showed hardly any contamination.
We therefore recommend that you use organic products when buying arugula – preferably from the farmer’s market or health food store.
Rocket is in season from April to October
In order to benefit from the valuable ingredients, make sure to buy fresh rocket from your region, i.e. when it is in season (April-October).
This is how arugula comes into its own in the kitchen
The tangy flavor of arugula is best enjoyed when eaten raw. It fits into a juicy salad made of colorful vegetables, into a refreshing smoothie or into a delicious wrap .
The nutty note also stands out immediately on a crispy pizza or in a creamy pasta sauce. Arugula can also be made into pesto , which tastes just as good as a sauce with spaghetti as it does as a flavorful spread.
Do you think arugula tastes hot or bitter? Then combine it with sweet fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, pears or mango.
The bitter substances in rocket can also be neutralized by rinsing the rocket with lukewarm water or e.g. is heated together with the pasta sauce for a few minutes. However, keep in mind that many bitters are highly healthy (not all) and it would be a shame to intentionally reduce their levels.
So that the fat-soluble vitamins in rocket, such as vitamin K or beta-carotene (the vitamin A precursor), can be absorbed well, chew the rocket well and add some oil, also in the form of avocados.
