Content
Leek is a truly unique plant that has beneficial properties. Many do not know that leeks are not only used in cooking, but are also actively used in alternative medicine to treat various diseases. The health benefits of leeks are by no means exaggerated, even doctors admit this fact.
Description
This vegetable belongs to the annual plants of the onion family. It differs from ordinary onion in that it does not contain an onion. The end of the plant has a slight thickening. The vegetable also has a bluish green feather color and a distinctive aroma.
There are different types of this vegetable, in which the trunk can be:
- short;
- thickened;
- elongated.
In terms of taste, leeks do not in any way resemble the usual onions. It has a slightly spicy and sweetish flavor. Because of this, it is often used as a condiment for most dishes.
Chemical properties and calorie content
Leeks are unique not only because of their taste, the vegetable is also interesting in its chemical composition. It contains a large amount of useful trace elements and minerals useful for the human body.
It should be noted that 100 g of the product contains 1/3 of the daily intake of vitamins A and C necessary for the human body. Moreover, during storage, the amount of vitamin C only increases over time. This characteristic of leeks is unique.
Many doctors recommend eating leeks in the autumn and winter seasons, when the human body is in dire need of vitamins and minerals. Among other vitamin complexes that are found in this vegetable, one can distinguish:
- IN 1;
- AT 2;
- E;
- PP.
The calorie content of the vegetable is only 33 kcal / 100 g of product.
The benefits of leeks
The benefits of the plant for the human body are really great. Course or regular use of the vegetable strengthens the immune system and helps get rid of serious diseases.
It should be noted that the vegetable is often used to strengthen nails. It is enough just to wipe the vegetable on a fine grater and apply the resulting gruel to the nails. It will take only half an hour for the nails to strengthen in this way and absorb useful microelements.
Also, onions effectively help in the treatment of sunburn and calluses. It is enough to grind the onion into gruel and apply it to the problem area for a while (about an hour). After that, it is recommended to wash off the remnants of the onion under warm running water.
For digestion
Since ancient times, people have known that leeks are good for the digestive system. For example, the use of leek soup for digestion is to normalize the secretion of gastric juice, due to which food is better digested, and the walls of the stomach more actively absorb useful trace elements.
This vegetable improves appetite and does not irritate the stomach lining. The plant improves liver function and has a choleretic effect.Leek has antimicrobial and antihelminthic effect, due to which pathogenic microorganisms are suppressed in the intestinal flora.
The juicy part of the vegetable contains healthy dietary fiber that normalizes the intestinal microflora, and also stimulates its motility.
For the heart and blood vessels
Leek is also beneficial for the cardiovascular system. The greens and the white part of the plant contain trace elements that are useful for the heart muscle. The high content of calcium, potassium and magnesium ensures the normal rhythmic contractile activity of the heart muscles. This type of onion delivers useful trace elements to the body that normalize lipid metabolism.
A large amount of ascorbic acid, which is contained in the plant, is actively involved in the synthesis of elastin and collagen. These substances are the basis of connective tissues, which make up almost half of the total body weight. Collagen increases the elasticity of blood vessels, skin, ligaments and other organs.
Also, vitamin C plays a significant role, which is responsible for the process of normalizing hematopoiesis. Without this, it is impossible to fully absorb iron by the intestine, which is necessary for the normal synthesis of hemoglobin.
Slimming
Many nutritionists include leeks in their daily diet due to their low calorie content. The fact that leek plays a huge role in the normalization of digestion also plays a significant role. Due to the fact that the vegetable helps to normalize metabolic processes, harmful substances, poisons and toxins are better excreted from the body in a natural way.
Also, people note the unique taste of leek. Thanks to him, you can diversify the prepared dishes for a person "sitting" on a strict diet. Leeks are excellent at satisfying hunger, which is an especially important factor for people who are losing weight.
With diabetes mellitus
Most doctors recommend eating a vegetable for diabetes. The fact is that it can be attributed to foods with a low glycemic index, which has practically no effect on the increase in blood sugar levels.
Moreover, the plant contains a large amount of nutrients and trace elements that are needed to prevent complications from diabetes. Leek also normalizes fat metabolism, which is impaired in this serious disease.
Application in cosmetology
Experienced cosmetologists could not fail to note the beneficial qualities of this vegetable. The following cosmetics are made on its basis:
- nourishing creams;
- face masks;
- balms, shampoos and hair conditioners and more.
The delicate consistency of leek, ground into porridge, has a cleansing effect on the skin; it is this mask that many cosmetologists advise to use at home. In fact, this mask is a harmless peeling, thanks to which you can remove the stratum corneum from the epidermis.
Due to the fact that onions contain many useful substances, it is also beneficial for hair. Leek gruel rubbed into the scalp will not only strengthen the hair roots and add shine to the hair, but also eliminate dandruff.
Application in traditional medicine
Lovers of alternative medicine use this plant to prepare various decoctions, lotions and tinctures that help to effectively fight various diseases.
It is incredibly easy to treat various skin lesions with leeks. All that is required is to grind the plant into gruel using a grater, blender or meat grinder, and attach it for a while to the problem area. It is advisable to leave the compress for the whole night. Thanks to this recipe, you can get rid of pain and swelling after a sting of a bee, gadfly and other insects.
Also, leeks are often used to treat the following diseases:
- From sore throat. There is an effective and rather old recipe for a speedy cure for angina.For these purposes, you will need to rinse your throat with fresh leek juice or drink it for several days, after which the disease will surely recede.
- From pneumonia. In this disease, it is recommended to do inhalation with the vapor of the plant. The recipe is quite simple: the onion is finely chopped and put in a jar, after which the patient needs to inhale the vapor for a certain time. It should be noted that each subsequent inhalation involves the use of a new portion of onions. It is not recommended to store it in this form.
- With a runny nose. People suffering from severe rhinitis use the following leek treatment method: a few drops of fresh onion juice are instilled into the nostrils twice a day. Some people soak cotton swabs in onion juice and put them in each nostril for a couple of hours.
- For potency. To restore normal potency, it is necessary to include celery and leeks in the daily diet. It is recommended to grind these products on a grater, mix them in equal quantities and consume several tablespoons 3 times a day. The course of treatment is three months.
Contraindications and harm of leeks
A vegetable is categorically contraindicated in the presence of inflammatory processes in the intestines or stomach. Also, fresh, it should be used with extreme caution by those people who suffer from excessive acidity.
Also, the use of this product is not recommended for nursing mothers due to the fact that onions give breast milk a special taste, which is often not to the taste of babies.
It is recommended to give up the use of leeks for people suffering from the following ailments:
- intestinal inflammation;
- ulcer;
- inflammation of the stomach.
Leeks in cooking
Leeks are added to a wide variety of foods. All types of leek have a pleasant specific taste and aroma. Leek goes well with pies, vegetable or meat casseroles, as well as stewed cream. Leek soup is especially popular with fans of healthy food.
The vegetable can be eaten both fresh and fried or boiled. It should be noted that this product gives an exquisite taste to fresh vegetable salads, fish and meat dishes.
The fact is that because of the unique structure of the lower part of the bow, small stones and earth can accumulate in it.
Storing leeks at home
There are important guidelines for keeping leeks safe at home. You should be aware that this vegetable must be stored differently than ordinary onions. The vegetable loves a cool and dark place. It is not recommended to keep leeks fresh for more than 6 months, despite the fact that the concentration of vitamin C in it increases over time.
Quick freeze can be used to store the vegetable. Before this, the plant must be thoroughly washed under running water and chopped into small circles. After that, it is necessary to place the crushed contents in a plastic bag, tie it tightly and place in a freezer, in which the temperature is at least -15 ° C. In this state, the vegetable can be stored for a long time and retain its useful properties.
Finally
The health benefits of leeks are really great. By including this product in the daily diet, you can prevent the occurrence of respiratory viral diseases and generally strengthen the immune system. However, you should pay attention to the existing contraindications for the use of leeks, so as not to harm your own health.
