Content
Arugula, besides being low in calories, is rich in fiber so one of its main benefits is to combat and treat constipation because it is a vegetable rich in fiber, with approximately 2 g of fiber per 100 g of leaves
Other benefits of arugula can be:
- Help to control diabetes, as it has no sugar;
- Fight cholesterol and high triglycerides because, in addition to fiber, it has almost no fat;
- Help to lose weight, because the fibers help to decrease the appetite;
- Prevent bowel cancer because, in addition to fibers, it also has the indole substance, important to fight this type of cancer;
- Prevent cataract, as it contains lutein and zeaxanthin, substances important for eye health;
- It helps to fight osteoporosis because it is a vegetable rich in calcium.
In addition, the arugula fibers also help prevent inflammatory bowel diseases, such as diverticulitis. To learn more about what to eat in diverticulitis see: Diet for diverticulitis.
How to use arugula
Wild arugula is mainly used in salads, juices or sandwiches to replace lettuce, for example.
As the arugula tastes slightly bitter, some individuals may not like its taste when the arugula is not cooked, so a good tip for using arugula can be sautéed with garlic.
Nutritional information of arugula
Components | Amount per 100 g of arugula |
Energy | 25 g |
Proteins | 2.6 g |
Fats | 0.7 g |
Carbohydrates | 3.6 g |
Fibers | 1.6 g |
Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg |
Vitamin C | 15 mg |
Calcium | 160 mg |
Magnesium | 47 mg |
Arugula can be found in supermarkets or in vegetables.
Salad with arugula
This is an example of a simple, quick and nutritious salad that can be made for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 200 g of fresh asparagus tips
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 handful of fresh arugula leaves
- 225 g of smoked salmon slices
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
Preparation mode
Bring a large saucepan with boiling water and a little salt. Pour the asparagus and cook for 4 minutes, then drain the water. Cool with running cold water and drain again. Set aside and wait to cool. Cut the avocado in half, remove the core and peel. Cut the pulp into small pieces and brush with lemon juice. Mix in a bowl the asparagus, avocado, arugula and salmon. Season with aromatic herbs and add olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice.