Arugula is a plant belonging to the cruciferous family. It has a pleasant spicy taste, so it is often used in cooking. The most interesting thing is that people have found application in almost all parts of this plant. Not only flowers and leaves, but also seeds are used. After reading today's article, you will learn how to save arugula for the winter and how it is useful.
Structure
It should be noted that this plant is an excellent source of many beneficial substances. It is rich in many vitamins and minerals. It contains a sufficient amount of zinc, magnesium, sodium, selenium, phosphorus and manganese. Those who are trying to understand how arugula is useful will be interested in the fact that it contains a small amount of iron.
The plant is also rich in vitamins of groups B, E, C, A and K. It contains tocopherol, phylloquinone, iodine and calcium. It should be noted that with such a unique composition, one hundred grams of this product contains only 25 kilocalories.
Why is arugula useful?
Popularly, this plant is better known as mustard grass. Due to its rich vitamin and mineral composition, it is often used to treat various diseases. It helps to strengthen the immune system, stimulates the activity of the stomach and improves metabolism.
In addition to everything else, this plant increases the level of hemoglobin and has a beneficial effect on the blood vessels, making them more elastic. Before telling how to save arugula for the winter, it should be noted that it has antibacterial properties and helps to increase stress resistance of the body. In addition, it helps to improve appetite, remove salts and lower cholesterol.
This product is recommended to be introduced into the diet of people with diabetes. It is also indicated for those who want to get rid of extra pounds. Mustard grass is recommended for elderly people who are diagnosed with hypertension. Vitamin K, which is present in the composition of this plant, helps to accelerate blood coagulation, and, consequently, the faster healing of wounds.
Who is arugula contraindicated?
You will learn to dry or freeze it a little later, but for now you need to figure out in which cases you can not use this plant. Just note that mustard grass in moderation is not able to seriously harm human health. The only problem is that not everyone likes its taste.
Overuse of this product can cause indigestion. Before answering the question: “How to keep arugula for the winter?”, It must be mentioned that its persistent aroma and specific taste in some cases cause slight dizziness. In addition, it is contraindicated for people suffering from various diseases of the kidneys or liver. It is not recommended to enter into the diet of those who are diagnosed with colitis, gastritis, gout, or high acidity. Do not neglect the fact that in mustard grass there is a high concentration of phytoncides. Therefore, people with a tendency to develop allergic reactions should be careful with it.
We stock up on arugula
This plant is considered an excellent aphrodisiac. Moreover, not only fresh, but also dried parts of the plant have tonic properties. By the way, the latter will be an excellent alternative to traditional greens in the first courses.
It should be noted that harvesting arugula for the winter is not a very complicated process. Even an inexperienced housewife can cope with it without much difficulty. To dry this plant at home, you must first prepare the shoots. To do this, they are thoroughly washed under a stream of cold water, cut off about one centimeter from the stem and chopped. Then the crushed leaves of mustard grass are placed in one layer on a baking sheet and slightly dried in the oven, heated to forty degrees. After that, they are cooled at room temperature, and then pour into a clean hermetically sealed tin or plastic can and sent to a dry, cool place.
Another option
Those who want to figure out how to keep arugula for the winter should remember that salads are best used for salads. To prepare them does not require too much time and effort.
In this case, the plant also requires preliminary preparation. It is washed under cool running water, dried with paper towels and chopped. You need to cut the leaves a little larger than in the previous version. The crushed mustard grass is sprinkled with salt in the ratio of one tablespoon per hundred grams of the plant, and then rammed into a glass container. In this form, mustard grass can be stored for about a year. At the same time, it retains almost all useful properties.
Useful Tips
Harvesting arugula for the winter requires compliance with certain rules. Fresh leaves can be stored in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment. To do this, they are placed in a container filled with water. But they quickly fade and lose almost all their valuable properties. It should be remembered that mustard grass can be stored on the shelf of the refrigerator for no longer than six days. After this time, the plant can be sent without regret to the bin.
Those who want to keep mustard grass in the refrigerator should remember that it perfectly absorbs odors. Therefore, it is desirable to isolate it from other products. This can be done by placing it in a fastening plastic bag, a sealed plastic container or a dry glass jar with a tight lid.
Those who are interested in how to preserve arugula leaves for a longer period can be advised to freeze them. To do this, the plant is washed well in cool water and dried with paper towels. Mustard grass prepared in this way is divided into small portions, placed in special fastening bags and placed in the freezer. It should be noted that in this type of arugula can be stored until fresh greens appear.