What is arugula: description, best varieties, composition, benefits and harms + use in home cosmetology and cooking

Brief description of arugula

Arugula (Italian Rucola) belongs to the Cabbage family, known as the caterpillar or eruca. Many mistakenly assume that Italy is the birthplace of the annual plant due to the prevalence of the ingredient in Italian cuisine. However, the plant came to the expanses of Europe from North Africa.

Arugula grows in small bushes up to 60 cm high, and looks like a salad. The straight stems are covered with long leaves with carved wavy edges, collected at the base in a rosette. From May to July, the plant is covered with small light yellow flowers with purple veins, which form racemose inflorescences. With the advent of summer, eruka begins to bear fruit in elongated pods with brown seeds located inside.

Only young grass goes into salads, which has a specific aroma and a sharp-sour taste. But for the preparation of mustard or oil, seeds are used.

Video “How arugula is useful, and what is prepared from it”

From this video you will learn how arugula is useful, and what dishes you can cook from it.

Common varieties

Thanks to breeders, many varieties of arugula were bred. All of them are usually classified according to two criteria: the timing of maturation and the period of ontogenesis.

Victoria

Eruka early maturity (25 days). The leaves are oval, elongated, collected in a lush rosette. Arugula has dietary properties, rich in vitamins, has a pronounced nutty flavor. The maximum height of the bush is 20 cm.

curiosity

Mid-season variety ripening 1 month after sowing. Curiosity grows no higher than 20 cm. The shoots are dark green, lyre-shaped. Spicy young greens go well with meat or fish dishes.

Olivetta

The ripening time is only 3 weeks. The height of Olivetta ranges from 15 to 20 cm. The leaves are long, slightly rounded, bright green. Young grass has a nut-mustard flavor and mild bitterness, for which it is highly valued in cooking.

Solitaire

Arugula medium ripening (35-40 days). Shoots are thin, long, carved. Growing up, they form a rosette up to 18 cm high. Solitaire has a rich taste and aroma, contains many vitamins, minerals, and carotene.

Покер

Refers to early ripe varieties that ripen on the 20th day after sowing the seeds. Poker is distinguished by large elongated shoots of rich green color with carved edges. The plant grows up to 20 cm. The young grass tastes bittersweet with nutty notes.

Rocket

Eruka early ripening (23 days). Straight stems up to 20 cm long are covered with thin long dark green leaves with carved edges. A low-calorie, mustard-flavoured herb that pairs well with meat, fish, or seafood dishes.

Спартак

The first greens from the Spartak arugula bushes are cut already on the 19th day after sowing the seeds. Elongated shoots with rounded carved edges form lush rosettes from 18 to 20 cm high. It has a mild, spicy taste and is used for salads.

Arrows of Cupid

The most popular variety of medium ripening. You can eat young greens only 35–40 days after sowing. The maximum plant grows up to 30 cm. The shoots are thin, long, with carved edges.

Chemical composition and nutritional value

Arugula is a low-calorie food. 100 g of grass contains only 25 kcal. The nutritional value of eruca is:

• 2,6 g protein;
• 0,7 g fat;
• 2 g carbohydrates;
• 91,7 g of water.

The plant is a rich source of essential oils, including mustard and fatty. It also has a useful chemical composition:

• vitamins (B, A, C, E, K);
• micro-, macroelements (Na, P, Ka, Mg, C, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Se);
• flavonoids;
• organic acids.

Useful and medicinal properties of the plant

Due to the high content of nutrients, eruca has a positive effect on the human body. A large list of benefits include:

• prevention of oncological diseases;
• antiseptic properties;
• help in the fight against dermatological problems;
• increased immunity;
• antiviral action;
• rejuvenation of the body;
• maintaining tone;
• normalization of the digestive tract;
• strengthening the central nervous system;
• lower cholesterol;
• increase in hemoglobin;
• beneficial effect on the organs of the reproductive system;
• restoration of water-salt balance.

The essential oils that make up arugula make it a powerful aphrodisiac.

Application in home cosmetology

In addition to being used in cooking, eruka is often used in home cosmetology. The products prepared from this plant are rich in useful substances necessary to maintain the health of the skin of the face and head. For example, with their help you can get rid of dandruff, strengthen hair follicles, revitalize curls, give them a natural shine. Often, masks are prepared from arugula that help:

• whiten the skin, make it supple and elastic;
• eliminate rosacea;
• get rid of puffiness;
• prevent the occurrence of neoplasms;
• moisturize the skin of the face;
• heal damage;
• slow down the process of wilting and wrinkles.

From wrinkles

To prepare a remedy for wrinkles, they interrupt half a banana with a blender, the same amount of cucumber and 40 g of arugula. A homogeneous mass is evenly applied to the face. The mask is kept for half an hour, and then washed off with water at a comfortable temperature.

from the vascular network

The recipe for a cosmetic product for rosacea includes 60 g of eruka, 3 tbsp. l. potato juice, 1 tbsp. l. milk cream. The crushed herb is mixed with the rest of the ingredients and applied to the skin of the face, excluding the area around the eyes. The procedure time is 25-30 minutes. To achieve a greater effect, it is recommended to first rinse the mask with warm water, and then rinse your face with cold water.

For skin elasticity

To prepare the mask, you will need 1 egg, 1 tsp. olive oil, 60 g arugula. The protein separated from the yolk is combined with the rest of the components and mixed well. The mass is applied in two layers, waiting for the previous one to dry. The product is kept for half an hour, and then washed off.

To moisturize and whiten the skin

A cucumber mask will help to get rid of age spots, make the skin tone lighter, and also moisturize it. Grate cucumber and zucchini on a fine grater, mix 3 tbsp. l. each vegetable mass with 60 g of crushed eruka, then applied to the face. The procedure time is 25 minutes.

When peeling

If the skin is prone to dryness and peeling, use an aloe-based product. 1 tsp pulp is mixed with 1 tsp. lemon juice and 60 g of arugula. The evenly applied mass is left for 30 minutes. After the time has elapsed, wash off with cool water.

For dandruff

The mask will help not only get rid of dandruff, but also stop hair loss. To prepare it, you will need 20 g of warmed honey, 60 g of eruka oil, 10 g of hot red pepper. The ingredients are mixed until smooth and rubbed into the hair roots. The product is left for 30 minutes, and then washed off with shampoo.

To strengthen hair follicles

To prepare a mask to strengthen the hair follicles, mix 2 tbsp. l. two oils – arugula and almonds. Massage the product into the scalp with massaging movements and leave for 60 minutes. After the time has elapsed, the hair is thoroughly washed with shampoo under warm water.

To give a healthy shine to dry and weakened curls

You can revive dull curls with a simple nourishing mask, consisting of 4 components: 20 g of sesame oil, 40 g of eruka oil, 1 tsp. warm honey, 1 yolk. The ingredients are whipped until smooth and distributed through the hair from roots to ends. The mask is kept for an hour.

Cooking application

Arugula is indispensable in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. They like to serve it on its own or as a side dish. Young greens serve as an excellent addition to dishes of meat, fish, seafood, and beans. It enhances the flavor of some cheeses and is often paired with spinach or salad. Cooks like to cook various sauces from eruki, add it to vegetables. Sometimes the grass is even used to make desserts.

It is customary to tear arugula with your hands or put it whole in a dish. In contact with the knife, an oxidation process occurs that kills most of the useful properties of the plant.

How to choose

Greens suitable for eating should be a bright green saturated color, without yellow spots. It is better to choose young leaves of small or medium size, as they have less bitterness and astringency. The fresher the eruka, the more nutrients it contains. Dishes prepared with arugula should be eaten immediately after serving, before the herb has lost its spicy flavor.

Healthy and tasty recipes

Spicy eruka is able to give any dish originality and originality. Below we look at simple recipes for salads from this herb:

Vegetable salad of arugula with shrimps

To prepare you will need:

• Xnumx g durum cheese;
• 120 g boiled-frozen shrimp;
• 225 g of young greens;
• 1 Art. liter. olive oil;
• 1 Art. l soy sauce;
• 3 tsp lemon juice;
• 1 tsp. liquid honey;
• 150 g cherry tomatoes;
• 1 chive;
• salt to taste.

Shrimps are scalded with boiling water and the shell is carefully removed. Sliced ​​garlic is fried in olive oil until golden brown. Then it is taken out, and instead of it, peeled shrimp are laid. Fry them on both sides for 1 minute. For dressing, mix lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, add salt to taste. Eruca leaves are laid out on a dish, shrimp and cut tomatoes are poured on top. Salad dressed with sauce, sprinkled with cheese, mixed.

Arugula salad with mozzarella

Necessary ingredients:

• 4 cherry tomatoes;
• 225 g mozzarella;
• 5 g of young greens;
• 3 tsp apple cider vinegar;
• 3 Art. liter. olive oil;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Cherry tomatoes and mozzarella are cut into circles of the same thickness. Spread alternately in layers on a dish, alternating with eruca leaves. The salad is dressed with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper.

Arugula and Bean Salad

The recipe provides:

• 400 g canned red beans;
• 300 g of young greens;
• 2 of Bulgarian peppers;
• 300 Cheese;
• 2 clove of garlic;
• 100 g sour cream (you can take homemade mayonnaise or natural yogurt);
• salt and pepper to taste.

Pepper and cheese are cut into small cubes. Mixed in a salad bowl with washed beans, chopped eruca, garlic. Salt, pepper to taste. Before serving, the dish is seasoned with one of the selected sauces.

Rules and secrets of storage

Arugula is stored in the refrigerator, avoiding proximity to products that emit ethylene. If you put grass next to such fruits or vegetables, it will quickly wither. Plucked young greens retain their properties for 4 days. To extend this period, you can put the beam in water. For longer storage, you can use the freezer.

Possible harm and contraindications

In moderation, almost everyone can eat eruku. People with individual intolerance should be careful. It is also not recommended to use arugula for patients with pathologies of the liver, kidneys, urinary tract. During pregnancy and lactation, it is better to remove young greens from the diet or consult a doctor.

Arugula is a real storehouse of nutrients. No wonder it is so loved by nutritionists and people who promote a healthy lifestyle. To make the grass available at any time of the year, you can grow it on your windowsill.