Arugula - How Many Calories?

Arugula calories are for plain, edible leaves

Raw arugula, also called rocket, provides 25 calories per 100 grams. Weigh the leaves you will eat after removing roots, yellowed leaves and any tough stems. The figures exclude oil, cheese and dressing. USDA's raw arugula entry is a general food reference, not a laboratory result for every bunch. [1]

How many calories are in a cup, handful or bunch?

The USDA measure is 10 grams for half a cup of leaves, or 20 grams per cup. A 20-gram amount provides 5 calories. A handful can be looser or more tightly packed, so use the scale if you need a consistent amount.

A bunch has no fixed weight. If the trimmed edible leaves weigh 50 grams, they provide 13 calories; at 100 grams, 25 calories. One reference leaf weighs 2 grams and its displayed energy rounds to 1 calorie. For several leaves, calculate from their combined weight rather than multiplying that rounded number.

Which nutrients does arugula provide?

Arugula contributes vitamins A, C and K, as well as folate. Consider the portion you actually eat: 30 grams supplies 4.5 mg of vitamin C, 35.7 µg RAE of vitamin A and 48 mg of calcium. That serving contains 0.77 grams of protein and 0.48 grams of fibre. A few leaves are not a substantial protein serving or a replacement for a varied diet. The vitamin C food and serving table shows how other foods contribute.

Arugula, spinach and kale have different nutrient profiles. There is no need to name one as the healthiest leaf for everyone. Rotate vegetables according to taste, tolerance and what fits your meal; equal volumes do not necessarily weigh the same amount.

Can I eat arugula every day or during weight loss?

Plain arugula can be part of the vegetables in a meal. There is no general rule limiting everyone to one handful a day, and no reason to build the entire day's vegetable intake around it. Choose an amount you enjoy and include other vegetables too. Its low calorie content does not make it a fat-burning food or a complete meal.

Chickpeas, eggs or cheese can turn the leaves into a more substantial salad. Count those additions along with walnuts, oil and dressing. A squeeze of lemon and a generous pour of oil are different additions; selecting arugula in the calculator does not automatically account for either.

Preparing raw arugula for a salad

Remove damaged leaves, rinse under clean running water and drain. Do not wash vegetables with soap or detergent. Keep washed leaves in a clean container and use clean utensils, separate from those used for raw meat. Washing helps reduce contamination; it does not sterilise the leaves. [2]

Does arugula matter if I take warfarin?

Arugula contains vitamin K. If you take warfarin, keep vitamin K intake reasonably consistent and agree on dietary changes with your care team instead of alternating large amounts of greens with none. Do not adjust the medicine yourself. This interaction should not be assumed to apply identically to every blood thinner; check the specific medicine with your pharmacist or prescriber. [3]

For help turning salad ideas into meals that fit your weight goals, see personalised weight-management nutrition support.