{"id":20617,"date":"2020-06-19T08:55:20","date_gmt":"2020-06-19T07:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/?p=20617"},"modified":"2021-11-03T13:36:16","modified_gmt":"2021-11-03T13:36:16","slug":"rocket-arugula-rucola-how-genetics-determines-the-health-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/2020\/06\/19\/rocket-arugula-rucola-how-genetics-determines-the-health-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"Rocket, arugula, rucola: how genetics determines the health benefits and whether you like this leafy green"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Love it or hate it, rocket is popular all over the world. Also known as arugula, roquette and rucola, it\u2019s known for its pungent and peppery flavours. It might look like an unassuming leafy vegetable, but the reasons for its taste, health benefits and whether we like it all comes down to genetics.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_20618\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20618\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-20618\" src=\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/Unorganized\/rocket-852046_1920_Image-by-HBNS-at-Pixabay-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/Unorganized\/rocket-852046_1920_Image-by-HBNS-at-Pixabay-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/Unorganized\/rocket-852046_1920_Image-by-HBNS-at-Pixabay-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/Unorganized\/rocket-852046_1920_Image-by-HBNS-at-Pixabay-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/Unorganized\/rocket-852046_1920_Image-by-HBNS-at-Pixabay-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/Unorganized\/rocket-852046_1920_Image-by-HBNS-at-Pixabay-272x182.jpg 272w, https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/Unorganized\/rocket-852046_1920_Image-by-HBNS-at-Pixabay.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-20618\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image by HNBS from Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Rocket actually encompasses several species, all of them part of the same family as broccoli, cabbage, kale, mustard and watercress \u2013 the Brassicales. Its distinctive aroma and flavours are created by chemical compounds produced by its leaves, called\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1002\/mnfr.201700990\">isothiocyanates<\/a>. Some of these compounds can be eye-wateringly hot, whereas others can have a radishy flavour \u2013 or none at all.<\/p>\n<p>In the wild, isothiocyanates are thought to help defend plants from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/hdy1995164\">herbivores<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0070771\">disease<\/a>, and also help it tolerate\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1422-0067\/14\/6\/11607\">environmental stress<\/a>. But for humans, eating isothiocyanates confers health benefits. Studies have shown them to have\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4122603\/\">anti-cancer<\/a>\u00a0properties, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0367326X15300605?via%3Dihub\">anti-neurodegenerative<\/a>\u00a0effects against diseases such as Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>For this reason, plants containing isothiocyanates interest scientists \u2013 particularly those with little taste and flavour. One such compound is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/linkinghub.elsevier.com\/retrieve\/pii\/S0899900715001203\">sulforaphane<\/a>, which is found in rocket and broccoli. Several years ago, researchers produced a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3666090\/?tool=pmcentrez&amp;report=abstract\">super broccoli<\/a>\u201d with high amounts of sulforaphane. Consumers couldn\u2019t taste the difference, and it was later shown to be effective in preventing and slowing\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ajcn\/article\/109\/4\/1133\/5455624\">prostate cancer<\/a>\u00a0and in lowering\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/25851421\">cholesterol<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But one advantage with rocket is that it doesn\u2019t need cooked to be eaten. Heating other Brassicales, like broccoli, to over 65\u2103 inactivates myrosinase, which is an enzyme in their tissues that converts compounds called glucosinolates into sulforaphane and other isothiocyanates when people chew these plants. If the myrosinae is inactivated, consumers will receive little or none of the associated health benefits, no matter how much are bred into the plants.<\/p>\n<p>Chewing aside, there\u2019s some evidence to suggest that our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S1756464613002302\">gut microflora<\/a>\u00a0possess their own myrosinase and can convert glucosinolates to isothiocyanates for us. The amounts this produces are likely to be quite small, but release may be sustained, exposing our cells to compounds like sulforaphane for longer periods.<\/p>\n<p>But the biggest barrier to people getting these beneficial molecules from rocket is the taste. This depends on when and where rocket crops are grown. In the summer, leaves can be extremely spicy and pungent, whereas in the winter they can be bland and tasteless.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S092552141931333X\">Growth temperature<\/a> likely plays a big role in determining the amounts of isothiocyanates released from leaves. Probably a stress response by the plants, it means hotter countries like Italy may produce more pungent leaves.<\/p>\n<p>You can test this effect at home. Get two small pots and some rocket seeds from a local garden centre or supermarket. Plant two or three seeds in each. Keep one well watered and relatively shaded, and the other in direct sunlight, watering infrequently. After a few weeks, taste the leaves from each pot \u2013 one should taste much hotter.<\/p>\n<h2>It\u2019s all in the genes<\/h2>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0308814616314595?via%3Dihub\">taste and flavour<\/a>\u00a0of rocket also varies because of the genetics of different varieties. Not only do leaves contain hot, pungent isothiocyanates, but also\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2590157518300026\">sugars<\/a>\u00a0(which create sweetness);\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0963996920300338?via%3Dihub\">pyrazines<\/a>\u00a0(which can smell earthy and pea-like);\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0308814617313274?via%3Dihub\">aldehydes<\/a>\u00a0(which smell like grass);\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0308814616314595?via%3Dihub\">alcohols<\/a>\u00a0(one in particular smells just like mushrooms); and many other types yet to be identified.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, the world\u2019s first\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.1101\/2019.12.23.886937v2\">rocket genome and transcriptome<\/a>\u00a0sequence was produced from the\u00a0<em>Eruca sativa<\/em>\u00a0species, allowing researchers to understand which genes may be responsible for making the compounds related to taste and flavour. Its genome contains up to 45,000 genes, which is more than the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/genomebiology.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s13059-018-1590-2\">42,611<\/a>\u00a0genes humans are thought to have.<\/p>\n<p>The research also found that different varieties produce more isothiocyanates and sugars than others. This explains why leaves can taste so different in the supermarket, even when bought from the same shop at the same time of the year. By knowing which genes are expressed in tissues and when, we can select rocket plants with improved taste and flavour profiles and breed new and improved cultivars.<\/p>\n<p>To further complicate matters, our own genetics mean we don\u2019t all taste chemical compounds the same. We have many thousands of different odour receptors in our brains, and many different combinations of taste receptors on our tongues. These genetic differences are one of the reasons why coriander tastes different to different people. Those with a variant of the\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/11\/8\/1735\">OR6A2<\/a><\/em>\u00a0gene perceive the leaves as having a soapy flavour, which is thanks to the aldehyde compounds in coriander that activate this receptor variant.<\/p>\n<p>Depending on whether you have a functioning or non-functioning copy of certain taste receptor genes, you may not be able to taste certain compounds at all. In the other extreme, if you have two working copies of a particular gene, some foods may taste unbearably bitter and unpleasant.<\/p>\n<p>Another classic example is Brussels sprouts. Some people love them, while others loathe them. This is because of the gene\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0950329316300052\"><em>TAS2R38<\/em><\/a>\u00a0which gives us the ability to taste the bitter glucosinolate compounds in these vegetables \u2013 as well as rocket.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"align-center \"><\/figure>\n<p>Those people with two working copies of the gene are bitter \u201csupertasters\u201d. People with only one are \u201cmedium tasters\u201d, while those with no working copies are \u201cblind\u201d to these compounds. So what is intense and inedible to one person might be pleasant and mild to another.<\/p>\n<p>This partly explains people\u2019s general food preferences \u2013 and rocket leaves are an excellent example of these processes in action. A\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0308814616320027\">consumer study<\/a>\u00a0of rocket leaves showed that some people like them hot and pungent, others like them sweet and mild, and others just don\u2019t like them at all.<\/p>\n<p>However, people\u2019s culture and life experience probably also determine whether they like rocket and other foods.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0308814616320027\">A previous study<\/a>\u00a0of rocket showed that people\u2019s genetic differences are not necessarily an indicator of whether they will like something. It\u2019s perfectly possible to be a bitter \u201csupertaster\u201d and like rocket and Brussels sprouts depending on your upbringing and exposure to them.<\/p>\n<p>Another study showed that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0308814600001643\">preference for flavour and pungency<\/a>\u00a0of white radish is linked to differences in geography and culture. Japanese and Korean people liked pungency created by an isothiocyanate much more than Australians. Pickled radish is a common condiment in Asian countries: being regularly exposed to a food may predispose people to like it, irrespective of their taste sensitivity.<\/p>\n<p>Very little is currently known about the interactions between plant and human genotypes. But ongoing research aims to find out which compounds people with different TAS2R38 genotypes are sensitive to. This will make it possible in the future to selectively breed in (or out) certain genes, and produce rocket types tailored to a person\u2019s preferences.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reading.ac.uk\/apd\/staff\/luke-bell.aspx\">Luke Bell<\/a> is Lecturer in temperate Horticulture at the University of Reading. This article was first published in <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/rocket-arugula-rucola-how-genetics-determines-the-health-benefits-and-whether-you-like-this-leafy-green-132123\">The Conversation<\/a> and is reproduced here under a Creative Commons licence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Love it or hate it, rocket is popular all over the world. Also known as arugula, roquette and rucola, it\u2019s known for its pungent and peppery flavours. It might look&#8230;<a class=\"read-more\" href=\"&#104;&#116;&#116;&#112;&#115;&#58;&#47;&#47;&#114;&#101;&#115;&#101;&#97;&#114;&#99;&#104;&#46;&#114;&#101;&#97;&#100;&#105;&#110;&#103;&#46;&#97;&#99;&#46;&#117;&#107;&#47;&#114;&#101;&#115;&#101;&#97;&#114;&#99;&#104;&#45;&#98;&#108;&#111;&#103;&#47;&#50;&#48;&#50;&#48;&#47;&#48;&#54;&#47;&#49;&#57;&#47;&#114;&#111;&#99;&#107;&#101;&#116;&#45;&#97;&#114;&#117;&#103;&#117;&#108;&#97;&#45;&#114;&#117;&#99;&#111;&#108;&#97;&#45;&#104;&#111;&#119;&#45;&#103;&#101;&#110;&#101;&#116;&#105;&#99;&#115;&#45;&#100;&#101;&#116;&#101;&#114;&#109;&#105;&#110;&#101;&#115;&#45;&#116;&#104;&#101;&#45;&#104;&#101;&#97;&#108;&#116;&#104;&#45;&#98;&#101;&#110;&#101;&#102;&#105;&#116;&#115;&#47;\">Read More ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":143,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"__cvm_playback_settings":[],"__cvm_video_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1785],"tags":[1525,1696,1694,1695,1235],"class_list":["post-20617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-agriculture-food-and-health","tag-flavour","tag-healthy-eating","tag-horticulture","tag-rocket-leaves","tag-taste"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Rocket, arugula, rucola: how genetics determines the health benefits and whether you like this leafy green - Connecting Research<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/2020\/06\/19\/rocket-arugula-rucola-how-genetics-determines-the-health-benefits\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rocket, arugula, rucola: how genetics determines the health benefits and whether you like this leafy green - Connecting Research\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Love it or hate it, rocket is popular all over the world. Also known as arugula, roquette and rucola, it\u2019s known for its pungent and peppery flavours. It might look...Read More &gt;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/2020\/06\/19\/rocket-arugula-rucola-how-genetics-determines-the-health-benefits\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Connecting Research\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/theuniversityofreading\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-06-19T07:55:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-11-03T13:36:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/72\/Unorganized\/rocket-852046_1920_Image-by-HBNS-at-Pixabay-1024x683.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Caroline Knowles\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@UniRdg_Research\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@UniRdg_Research\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Caroline Knowles\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/2020\/06\/19\/rocket-arugula-rucola-how-genetics-determines-the-health-benefits\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/2020\/06\/19\/rocket-arugula-rucola-how-genetics-determines-the-health-benefits\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Caroline Knowles\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/52eb219d2de7c8acd2dcbbf5f57de6e7\"},\"headline\":\"Rocket, arugula, rucola: how genetics determines the health benefits and whether you like this leafy green\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-06-19T07:55:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-11-03T13:36:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/2020\/06\/19\/rocket-arugula-rucola-how-genetics-determines-the-health-benefits\/\"},\"wordCount\":1164,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/research-blog\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"flavour\",\"healthy eating\",\"horticulture\",\"rocket leaves\",\"taste\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Agriculture, Food &amp; 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