I remember the first time that I had Arugula was on a family vacation in  Brazil. The green leafy green made its way on a pizza! I was shocked! I knew my Brazilian counterparts were food adventures by nature, but lettuce on a pizza seemed sacrilegious. But I was wrong. not only did it belong on a pizza, but it also made the pizza so much better. I was hooked. I would even find myself looking forward to my next encounter with arugula, on a pizza, or drizzled in olive oil in a salad. This left me wondering what my body was saying and what made this delicate yet strong and peppery leafy green so appealing to me. You are about to learn why it is one of my favourite leafy green lettuce and why my body loved it so much.

Arugula belongs to the family Brassicaceae. It is closely related to cauliflower, kale, and radish. Depending on where you are in the world, you may know this leafy vegetable but with a different name. Aside from arugula, other names include colewort, roquette, and rocket. To those who don’t really know much about arugula, it may seem like a fancier type of lettuce. But keep in mind that not all greens are created equal; in particular, this vegetable with many names has a lot of health benefits too. This is why a lot of people choose to consume cruciferous vegetables frequently. The nutrients, antioxidants, and phytochemicals in arugula have many health benefits:

1. An Excellent Detoxifier

Arugula is an excellent source of antioxidants which is why it’s a great detoxifier. It can significantly increase the oxygen radical absorbance capacity in the body. Antioxidants work to maintain the healthy balance of all enzyme reactions within the cells. They do this while actively searching for and fighting off free radicals which cause disease. These free radicals are very harmful to the body because they attack the different systems and make them weaker. Consuming arugula will also help improve the defences of your body against simple and complex illnesses.

2. Enhances Body’s Mineral Absorption

This vegetable has a lower level of oxalate as compared to other well-known leafy greens. This is a unique benefit of arugula as an oxalate may inhibit the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals. Because of this, your body will be able to absorb all the healthy components that arugula contains more effectively. Aside from iron and copper, arugula also contains vitamin A, which is a type of antioxidant. Arugula contains a lot of vitamin A which, when absorbed by the body, helps improve the condition of the eyes, teeth, and bones.

3. Promotes Bone Health

Another healthy component that arugula contains is vitamin K. This gives the body an anti-inflammatory boost. Vitamin K helps stimulate osteotropic activity in the cells which, in turn, promotes the formation of bones. Also, this vitamin slows down the degradation of neural pathways. So, consuming arugula which contains a lot of vitamin K may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and similar conditions. Because of the lower oxalate levels of arugula, it helps improve the body’s ability to absorb minerals. Since the vegetable also contains a lot of minerals and healthy components, it will definitely promote bone health. Regularly consuming arugula will help ensure the health and strength of the bones to prevent deterioration.

4. Promotes Weight Loss

People who try to lose weight always try to incorporate more greens into their diet. But seldom do people add this particular green into their meals. The cruciferous arugula has a lot of nutrients but minimal calories. This means that it can help maintain health and balance the system without having to make drastic modifications to your diet. Aside from being very low in calories, arugula also doesn’t contain a lot of carbohydrates. This makes it an excellent food for weight loss. You can use it as the base for meals as a replacement for grain products like bread and pasta. The vegetable has a rich and peppery flavour which makes meals a lot more interesting.

5. Gives the Immune System a Boost

Arugula contains many essential vitamins and minerals. All these help to strengthen the body’s defences by giving the immune system a boost. The copper in the arugula stimulates the body to produce white blood cells. The vegetable also contains other components which strengthen the immune system. As arugula makes the body stronger, it seeks out harmful free radicals which cause damage. With regular consumption, the body becomes more efficient at eliminating these harmful components from the body before they have a chance to cause damage. When you have a strong immune system, it will help prevent illnesses and diseases.

6. Rich in Vitamin C

One major antioxidant arugula also contains is vitamin C. In fact, just 100 grams of arugula contains about a quarter of the recommended daily intake. This vitamin also helps eliminate free radicals just like the other antioxidant components. It also plays a vital role in maintaining the health of the skin and protecting the cardiovascular system.

7. Improves Metabolism

Besides giving the immune system a boost, arugula can also help enhance metabolism. This leafy vegetable contains B-complex vitamins which promote a healthy metabolism. Also, these B-vitamins take part in all the different activities of the cells. They help in the production of energy, synthesizing fats, and producing red blood cells. They are essential in important processes for metabolic and cell health.

8. Rich in Vitamin B and Folate

Arugula contains a variety of B-vitamins such as vitamin B9 and B12. Arugula and other dark-coloured leafy greens are excellent sources of folate. As a Golden Rule, it is much better to acquire folate and other nutrients from the food you eat rather than from supplements. Arugula contains more than 25% of the recommended daily intake of folate. This is important as it’s involved in the production of red blood cells and serotonin. There are studies that focus on folate and its preventive effect against the disease, particularly diabetes, depression, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

9. Improves Eyesight

This healthy vegetable is an excellent source of carotenoids. These are the naturally-occurring pigments that can help improve eyesight. Carotenoids aid in slowing down the effects of macular degeneration. This helps ensure that your field of vision won’t get compromised prematurely. Macular degeneration can also cause other eye issues, one of which is the development of cataracts. Because of this, you should consider consuming more arugula. This would help slow down this common symptom of age.

10. Aids in Cancer Prevention

Finally, arugula also aids in cancer prevention because of the phytochemicals which the vegetable also contains. In fact, arugula contains large quantities of phytochemicals. These can inhibit the activity of the cells which cause cancer. Phytochemicals like sulforaphane, indoles or thiocyanates are very effective in fighting off cancer-causing activities. Even those which occur in the processes of the body. Studies have shown that they can also help fight and prevent cervical, colon, breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.

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