A leafy salad green with a slightly peppery taste.

Asia and the Mediterranean region

Italian immigrants brought it to America in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed in arugula’s medicinal properties, using it as a treatment for eye diseases and as an aphrodisiac.

“Eruca sativa, a Tasty Salad Herb with Health Promoting Properties” by Barazani O. Ziffer Berger (2014)  

The Oxford Companion to Food. 3rd ed., by Alan  Davidson and edited by Tom Jaine (2014)