Rocket is healthy – this is mainly due to the vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances it contains. But the healthy rocket is also rich in nitrate. You can read here what you should consider if you like to eat rocket.
The unmistakably spicy taste of the salad rocket makes it so popular not only for rocket salad, but also as a seasoning plant. In addition, the rocket is full of valuable ingredients. Therefore, arugula is very healthy. In this article you will find out what is in the plant, how your body benefits from it and what you should look out for with rocket.
These ingredients make arugula so healthy
Rocket not only impresses with its spicy-nutty taste, the jagged leaves are also full of vitamins and minerals. These include, among other things:
beta-carotene
folic acid
vitamin C
potassium
calcium
Because of the beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A, arugula protects your eyes. The minerals it contains also promote heart health.
Furthermore, arugula is also healthy because its leaves contain valuable phytochemicals that your body has been shown to benefit from. These include:
Mustard oils: Mustard oils are among the bitter substances that are important for the body and are said to be able to prevent cancer. As you chew the leaves thoroughly, they mix with the digestive enzyme myrosinase. This compound produces isothiocyanates, which in turn serve to prevent cancer. Therefore, the National Cancer Institute recommends regularly including vegetables with mustard oils in the diet.
Antioxidants: Arugula is also healthy because of its high proportion of antioxidants. These fight free radicals and thus also have an anti-cancer effect. They also support your body in cell renewal and reduce oxidative stress.
Is arugula always healthy?
In addition to valuable minerals, vitamins and secondary plant substances, rocket also contains nitrate. The nitrogen compound occurs naturally in the soil, but is also found in fertilizers. Especially at low temperatures and little natural light, vegetables accumulate in nitrate.
Nitrate itself is harmless to adults. However, if stored for a longer period of time, the substance converts to nitrite. The substance is suspected of causing cancer and inhibits the transport of oxygen in the blood. Infants and young children in particular should therefore avoid nitrate-containing vegetables.
Since nitrate is mainly stored in the stalks of the spicy rocket, it is advisable to remove the stalks before eating the salad. Since the leaves produce nitrite when drying, lose valuable ingredients and lose their taste, you should use them as fresh as possible – then the rocket is particularly healthy. Once you have stored more of the lettuce plant than you can eat within two to three days, you can use the leaves to make a delicious rocket pesto. This way you can make them last a few days longer.
You can also plant the wild rocket yourself so that you always have rocket leaves that are as healthy and fresh as possible. You can also avoid packaging waste and don’t have to worry about germs in the bag salad. You don’t need a garden to plant arugula – a sunny window sill or a spot on the balcony is all you need.
