Arugula during pregnancy - benefits and harms

Vegetable leafy greens, which include arugula, are an excellent source of fiber and chlorophyll. Due to this, it is incredibly beneficial for the body, especially during such a stressful period as pregnancy. What vitamins and minerals are there in arugula, why should expectant mothers pay attention to it, and with which products is it better to combine it?

Product Features

Arugula is an annual plant belonging to the cruciferous family. Its alternative names are caterpillar or eruca. Outwardly, it looks like a dandelion, but it tastes very different from it: the arugula is dominated by intense pepper notes with a bright nutty mustard aftertaste. Distantly, it resembles a sorrel.

In cooking, it appeared relatively recently, since it was originally considered a weed and was used only as animal feed. Today it is a very popular spice that gives fish and meat dishes a unique flavor. Arugula serves as the basis for salads, and especially reveals its taste in combination with soft cheeses, olive oil, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Its fashion is associated with the popularity of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, in which it is found in almost every dish. But it is still in demand due to the healing effect on the body.

Like any other greens, arugula is a low-calorie herb. 100 grams contain only 25 kcal. At the same time, it contains antioxidants, flavonoids and vitamins, especially useful for women in position.

The unique properties of arugula

Since pregnant women need a special diet, eruca can become one of its most important components, because:

1. The main benefits of arugula are in the digestive tract. It is due to the high concentration of fiber that it stimulates intestinal motility, allowing you to normalize your daily stool.
2. Arugula is considered a very effective diuretic. Even a minimal amount of it can reduce the swelling characteristic of many women in position.
3. It belongs to the category of natural immunity stimulants. Therefore, its regular use for all 9 months will help in the fight against seasonal colds.
4. Vitamin E, which is part of eruca, minimizes the risks of miscarriage and contributes to the normal development of the fetus. In its effect on the body, it is identical to progesterone: it improves the maturation of the placenta, preventing its detachment.
5. 100 g of arugula contains the daily norm of vitamin K. It promotes the formation of bone tissue in the child, enhances muscle contraction, provides the body with energy. A pregnant woman needs it to produce prothrombin, a chemical compound responsible for blood coagulation.
6. Rich in this famous Italian herb and inulin. This is a prebiotic necessary to normalize the intestinal microflora. It contributes to the “attachment” of lacto- and bifidobacteria to the gastrointestinal mucosa, as well as the removal of heavy metals from the body.

You also need to consider that 100 grams of this herb accounts for 2.1 g of sugar (3% of the daily norm for an adult).

Contraindications

Even given the beneficial effects of arugula on the body, in some cases it is better for pregnant women not to eat it. In particular with:

• increased tone of the uterus;
• urinary tract dyskinesia;
• individual intolerance to the components. In this case, an allergic reaction may occur.

It is also better to abandon its use during breastfeeding.

Rules for the selection and storage of arugula

Arugula has small green leaves, pleasantly crispy on the teeth. Ideally, it should be grown independently, as this guarantees the absence of pesticides in its composition. In addition, it is a very unpretentious grass that sprouts even on the windowsill. But in the absence of such an opportunity will go and the store.

When choosing arugula, you need to pay attention to the leaves: they should be completely green and not wilted. Their taste depends on size: the smaller they are, the more they are bitter. Therefore, choosing arugula is strictly based on personal wishes.

Useful advice: before using any herb or leafy vegetables, be sure to rinse them thoroughly under running water, and then leave it in a deep bowl, completely filled with water, for only 20 minutes. So you not only wash away all the dirt from it, but also clean it from the chemicals present in the composition.

The gentle leaves of arugula do not like cold, therefore it is better to store it in the “warmest” places of the refrigerator and preferably in a container of water. Leaving it there for more than 3 days is not necessary - the less it lies, the more it has both taste and nutrients. In the case of long-term storage, it must first be washed, dried and finely cut, putting it in the freezer.

Arugula: use in cooking

Minor Arugula

Mustard oil obtained from arugula is widely used not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology. It has a beneficial effect on the condition of the hair: strengthens the hair follicle and restores its structure along the entire length. In everyday life, you can easily cook the following mask: two tsp. mustard oil (you can buy it in almost any supermarket) should be rubbed into the scalp, wrapped with a towel and left for several hours.

In folk medicine, infusion is made from arugula, which subsequently treats wounds. The juice obtained from it is effective in the fight against calluses, polyps and ulcers.

In the absence of contraindications, pregnant women should definitely add arugula to their daily diet. It will bring a touch of astringency to vegetable salads and enrich the body with nutrients.

Video: useful properties of arugula