Leeks: One of the World’s Healthiest Foods + Recipe

These delicious vegetables taste better than its cousins onions, shallots, and garlic. They have their own unique taste and their own style. It looks quite similar to a green top onion but it a lot bigger and is the shape of a cigar, with tiny hairs as their root compared to the bulb.

The bible speaks about how addicting the taste could be and the children of Israel wanting to go back to Egypt again just to taste them one last time.

In today’s life leeks are usually planted very deep in the soil so the steams don’t get destroyed by sunlight and taking away the white tender tops. These taste amazing in any salad which is a great way to get all the nutrition from them. Another great way to enjoy these would be to sauté them by themselves or a base for a stir fry.

health benefits of leeks

Health Benefits of Leeks
When leeks are chopped up or even sliced, the antioxidants that leeks contain convert into allicin. Allicin provides a great deal of important health benefits for the body, like anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal activities, and lowering cholesterol by destroying deadly enzymes in liver cells. Another major benefit is the 52% daily requirement of vitamin K, and a more than 29% daily requirement of vitamin A.

Leeks have a large amount of folic acid (needed for proper DNA absorbsion and cell division), as well as niacin, riboflavin, magnesium for healthy bones, and thiamin. If a good amount is consumed during pregnancy it has been shown to decrease neural tube defects in the newborn

Leeks Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: One (89g) cup of raw leeks
Amt. Per Serving
Calories 54
Carbohydrates 13g
Sugar 3g
Fiber 2g
Protein 1g
Sodium 18mg
Studies Done on Leeks
Being from the same family, leeks provide some of the same nutritional benefits that garlic and onions do. They’re proven to have diuretic, laxative, and antiseptic properties, and contain the cancer-fighting compounds kaempferol, which support the heart and blood supply system, and quercetin, which inhibits carcinogenic synthesis in the body.

Allium vegetables, especially garlic, onions, and leeks are known to contain beneficial compounds that fight diseases, including stomach and colorectal cancer1. Studies have found that allyl factors in leeks, while inhibiting these cancers, may also help prevent breast, esophageal, colon, and lung cancer.

Leeks Healthy Recipes: Creamy, Aromatic Leeks Soup

Ingredients:
– 1-2 Tbsp. (approximately) of butter
– 1 onion, diced
– 1 leek, thinly chopped (optional)
– 10 stalks celery, chopped medium fine
– 1 Tbsp. rye flour
– 1 quart vegetable stock
– 1 pound Stilton cheese (or the sharper bleu cheese)
– Generous amount of black pepper, to taste
– About ½ cup raw, organic milk
– Sea salt to taste

Procedure:
Melt butter in pot and add onion and leeks. Stir well for about 5 minutes or until slightly softened.
Add celery, stir and sauté about 2 minutes or until celery softens slightly.
Sprinkle in rye flour until it’s absorbed. Pour in stock, mix well, and simmer about 30 minutes.
Stir in Stilton cheese until partially melted, leaving some small chunks.
Mix in raw milk and adjust seasonings to taste.

Fun Facts to Know About Leeks
Leeks have been the national symbol of Wales for at least 700 years. One legend has it that Welsh patron Saint David (who died in 589 AD.) and his soldiers wore leeks on their helmets in a battle – fought in a leek field – against the Saxons.

Summary
With its own set of nutritional benefits and flavors, leeks have been part of the human diet for thousands of years. They contain powerful antioxidants for staving off disease and eliminating free radical damage, and the significant quercetin presence by itself fights cancer.

One of the world’s oldest known vegetables, leeks add a distinctively delightful flavor to dishes that is milder than the more pungent onion.

Source:

...
...
...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *