Most people have heard of rucola/arugula/rocket/roquette – it’s that innocuous leafy green vegetable which you may add to a salad to give it a bit of a boost in the flavour department since it has a bitter peppery taste. Nothing special right? Wrong! It’s absolutely bursting with health promoting properties, and the oil extracted from the seeds retains all of these benefits, plus adds a few more into the mix.
Rucola Seed Oil is extracted by cold pressed method from the seeds of rucola (eruca sativa), which is a herb from the mustard family originating from the Mediterranean region. It is a staple in Italian and French cuisine. Rucola Seed Oil is a source of high nutrition, being composed of vitamins A, C, B9, K, and PP, plus minerals including calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, magnesium, sodium, fluoride, potassium and phosphorus, in addition to fatty acids, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, retinol, and an army of antioxidants.
So what exactly does that mean in regard to health benefits for you and your family? Here’s just 20 of the potential health boosting benefits that Rucola Seed Oil can impart:
1. Rucola Seed Oil Boosts The Immune System
Rucola Seed Oil is a powerhouse of beneficial vitamins and minerals to boost the immune system, with copper in particular known to stimulate the creation of white blood cells to inhibit infection. It also contains a compound called di-indolyl-methane (DIM) which inhibits viral and bacterial infections. Vitamin C is also a recognised immune booster.
2. Rucola Seed Oil is a Powerful Antioxidant
Rucola Seed Oil contains components such as vitamins A, C and E, plus beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein which have strong antioxidant properties and are able to neutralise free radical damage and relieve the body of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is believed to play a major role in the development of a large range of conditions including cancer, asthma, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and premature ageing.
3. Rucola Seed Oil for Skin Health
Rucola has a long history of use for the prevention and treatment of skin disorders such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. It contains the compound indole-3-carbinol, which has anti-inflammatory properties and can combat bacterial and viral infections. As a rich source of antioxidants which increase cell metabolism, Rucola Seed Oil can also help to combat the effects of ageing, and slow the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. It is also said to boost elasticity in the skin, which can help to minimise the appearance of scars.
4. Rucola Seed Oil for Brain Health
Rucola Seed Oil is a rich source of folate, and studies show that regular consumption of folate can slow down age-related cognitive decline. Rucola is a king among greens, and a study showed that people consuming greens daily had the cognitive abilities of a person 11 years younger. Rucola Seed Oil also contains isothiocyanates, and recent research has shown these to have neuroprotective properties by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines which can cause damage to the brain. Being high in nitrate, Rucola Seed Oil increases the blood flow to the brain by dilating blood vessels and thus eliminating cell death due to insufficient oxygen. Furthermore, the high amount of vitamins C & K in Rucola oil can help to manage the symptoms of degenerative conditions such as Alzeiheimer’s disease, and help to slow the degradation of neural pathways.
5. Rucola Seed Oil Aids Weight Loss
Packed with essential nutrients to prevent deficiencies and provide energy, Rucola Seed Oil can help in weight loss by allowing a low calorie diet without the risk of depriving the body of its nutritional needs. It is also known to act as an appetite suppressant thanks to the presence of chlorophyll. Furthermore Rucola can help to increase the metabolism, supporting the production of red blood cells, boosting energy and promoting fat synthesis. The natural diuretic affect also helps to remove excess fluid and prevent bloating.
6. Rucola Seed Oil for Hair
Rucola Seed Oil contains chlorophyll which contains specific nutrients required by the hair follicles to synthesize proteins into keratin in order to produce healthy hair. Chlorophyll is also accredited with continuously producing melanin in pigment cells within the follicles, and thereby slowing down the progression of grey hair. 
Rucola Seed Oil is an excellent remedy for baldness or major hair loss as it helps to awaken dormant hair follicles. For best results Rucola Seed Oil should be used topically and internally. Regular topical application will moisturise the hair and increase its elasticity, thus eliminating brittleness and reducing hair fall. Rucola Seed Oil will also treat dandruff and skin conditions on the scalp, in addition to eliminating lice.
7. Rucola Seed Oil for Digestion & Prevention of Gastric Ulcers
Rucola Seed Oil is alkaline and can therefore regulate the pH of the stomach to optimum levels, which according to studies is vital for digestion. Furthermore, the compound chlorophyll contained in the oil can promote the growth of good microbes in the gut, helping to facilitate the assimilation of nutrients from the undigested food, and preventing indigestion, constipation and flatulence. Clinical research has also indicated that rucola can lower stomach-acid secretion and thus prevent gastric ulcers.
8. Rucola Seed Oil for Diabetes
Several studies have shown Rucola Seed Oil to be effective in regulating blood sugar levels and increasing insulin sensitivity. It is therefore indicated to be useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, in addition to being a preventative aid.
9. Rucola Seed Oil for Male Potency
Rucola has a long history of being used as an aphrodisiac and male fertility booster by Ancient Egyptians and Romans, and this has now been upheld by science! Clinical studies have confirmed that it increases the testosterone hormone, boosting sperm health and activity, and increasing sperm count and male fertility. 
Packed with the essential nutrients to ensure that the body is at its sexual prime, Rucola Seed oil is a natural remedy for the prevention and treatment of erectile dysfunction. It increases the blood flow to necessary areas, and helps to promote the sensory function, thus enhancing and prolonging sensitivity and sensation.
10. Rucola Seed Oil for Joints
Rucola Seed Oil is high in potassium, which can help to normalise fluid balance in the joint and improve joint mobility. This oil can also help to restore and strengthen cartilage tissue, and relieve inflammation of the joints due to arthritis, rheumatism or injury.
11. Rucola Seed Oil for Strong Bones
Being rich in calcium and vitamin K, Rucola Seed Oil helps to support healthy bones. Whilst calcium may be the building block for the bones, vitamin K is the glue that holds it all together, and experts now believe that vitamin K may contribute more to the construction of strong healthy bones than calcium. 
Research has shown that vitamin K helps to reduce bone density loss and deterioration, and studies confirm that people taking a higher amount of vitamin K have a reduced risk of bone fractures and developing osteoporosis. Regular intake of Rucola Seed Oil can benefit those already suffering from osteoporosis and therefore is highly recommended for them, in addition to those recovering from broken bones.
12. Rucola Seed Oil Enhances Endurance
A powerhouse of important minerals, vitamins and nutrients, Rucola Seed Oil enhances metabolism and increases energy. As a rich source of nitrates it helps muscles to relax, and helps to flush out lactic acid, thus preventing muscle-pain and fatigue after a high-intensity workout. Studies have indicated that it can enhance athletic performance and endurance by helping to lower blood pressure and reducing the amount of oxygen required during exercise. Rucola Seed Oil is also good for bone and joint health, as per above, and therefore is highly recommended for athletes.
13. Rucola Seed Oil Protects the Kidneys and Urinary Tract
Rucola Seed Oil has diuretic properties which can increase the production of urine and prevent water retention, thus discarding waste and toxins and preventing future urinary tract infections and protecting against kidney stones.
14. Rucola Seed Oil Supports Detoxification & Liver Health
Chinese medicine has long cited the benefits for the liver from bitter green leaf vegetables, and scientific studies have supported this belief with rucola. Rucola Seed Oil promotes detoxification of the body, helping the liver to flush out harmful toxins and chemicals, neutralizing aflatoxins, heavy metals, pesticides and chemicals which can enter the body via food, and which if left unchecked could potentially cause liver damage.
15. Rucola Seed Oil Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is the precursor to many chronic diseases if left unresolved. Recent studies have shown that erucine, an isothiocyanate contained in Rucola Seed Oil, has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and can inhibit pro-inflammatory enzymes and cytokines. Rucola Seed Oil may be taken internally and applied topically as a massage for the relief of inflammatory ailments such as arthritis and rheumatism.
16. Rucola Seed Oil for Cardiovascular Health
Rucola Seed Oil has a plethora of benefits when it comes to heart health, thanks to the high nutrient value including nitrates, vitamins C & K, folate, magnesium, potassium and calcium which all play important roles in keeping the heart healthy. Overall they improve the health of blood vessels, maintain healthy blood pressure levels, reduce cholesterol levels, promote better circulation, and control heart rhythms, thus dramatically lowering the risk of a stroke or heart attack.
17. Rucola Seed Oil for the Prevention of Anaemia
Rucola Seed Oil is a rich source of iron, copper and folate which support the production of red blood cells, whilst the high level of vitamin C helps with iron absorption, thereby dramatically lowering the risk of anaemia and combatting fatigue associated with iron deficiency and anaemia.
18. Rucola Seed Oil for Eye Health
Rucola Seed Oil contains beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamins A and K, plus omega 3 fatty acids which help to support eye health and protect against age-related disorders such as macular degeneration, night vision, and cataracts, as well as deterring eye strain or vision impairments caused by high intensity blue lights and UV rays.
19. Rucola Seed Oil Protects Against Cancer
Several studies have shown that powerful compounds within Rucola Seed Oil have anti-tumour properties and have the potential to prevent cell mutation and kill tumour cells by inducing apoptosis (cell death). Further studies have confirmed the ability of Rucola Seed Oil to inhibit the growth of melanoma.
One particular compound found in the oil has been shown to slow the progression of the cancer, in addition to inhibiting the production of the enzyme histone deacetylase, which boosts the proliferation of cancer cells. There’s a good reason why cruciferous/brassica vegetables such as rucola are recommended for daily intake by the National Cancer Research, and why such vegetables are sometimes referred to as “carcinogen killers”.
20. Rucola Seed Oil for Expectant Mothers
Rucola Seed Oil is packed with folate, iron and calcium, which are so important to the health of mother and unborn child. Folate, particularly during the early weeks of pregnancy, is vital for healthy fetal growth and development, and helps form a healthy neural tube protecting against spinal and brain deformities. Folate and iron also helps to keep the expectant mothers red blood cells in check, and calcium ensures that the mother is not put at risk of weaker bones and osteoporosis by supplying calcium to the baby from her own body.
So now you know the momentous benefits of this incredible oil, how do you use it? Take one teaspoon every morning, and drizzle some over your salad or pasta at lunch or dinner. Additionally apply topically where required on the skin, use 30 minutes as a pre-shampoo treatment for the scalp and hair, and use as a massage oil for aching joints and to reduce inflammation.
Add to your diet today to ensure your future good health.
