nutritive value
Leek has high water content (85%) and low calories. It is an excellent source of iron, potassium and vitamin A, and also a general source of vitamin C. ..
Europeans have long used leeks in medical treatment. Such as stimulating appetite, inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria and harmful organisms, stimulating urination and eliminating excess water in the body.
Effects on disease and health
Leek contains more crude fiber, which can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and effectively prevent habitual constipation and intestinal cancer. These fibers can also wrap the gravel, hair and metal chips in the digestive tract and excrete them with feces, so leeks are called "intestinal grass".
Leek contains volatile essential oil and sulfur-containing compounds, which can stimulate appetite and reduce blood lipid, and has certain curative effect on hypertension, coronary heart disease and hyperlipidemia. Sulfur compounds also have certain bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effects.
Allicin is the source of the unique smell of leek and garlic, which can be converted into allicin under the catalysis of alliinase, and allicin has a strong smell. Then allicin combined with vitamin B 1 to produce allithiamine, which has the same physiological activity as vitamin. At the same time, the absorption rate in small intestine and the transfer rate to body tissue after absorption are higher than those of vitamin B 1. Because garlic thiamine can accelerate the decomposition of lactic acid (fatigue substance), it has the function of anti-fatigue and promoting recovery. In addition, garlic thiamine has different functions such as stimulating appetite, stabilizing mood and promoting sweating.
Leek is rich in calcium and iron, which is of great significance to the formation of bones and teeth and the prevention of iron deficiency anemia.
Diet should be avoided.
Eating leeks in spring is good for the liver. According to the principle of "emphasizing four seasons" in traditional Chinese medicine, nourishing the liver in spring should be the first step of the five internal organs, and leek is what warms the liver and kidney.
The quality of leeks in early spring is the best, followed by late autumn and the worst in summer.
Leek will get angry if you eat too much, and it is not easy to digest. Therefore, people with yin deficiency and fire, watery eyes and weak stomach should not eat more. The recommended amount is 50 grams per person each time.
How to buy, preserve and eat leeks When buying leeks, try to choose ones with wide leaves, soft touch, certain thickness, dark green color and no broken leaves. If you hold it in your hand and find that the leaves are loose and drooping, it means they are not fresh.
In addition, see if there is any water in the broken end of leek root. Usually leeks are sold in bundles, and merchants will tie a string at one end of the vegetable root. Because of the respiration of plants, some water in the vegetable root will evaporate, so please untie the string when storing to reduce water evaporation.
Wrap the leek in paper, put it in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator for about a week. However, with the extension of storage time, the nutrition and taste of leeks will be affected, so it is recommended to eat fresh leeks as soon as possible.
Clean raw leeks can be chopped and stuffed with meat, eggs or other vegetables to make soup.
Matters needing attention in cooking
Before the leek is cooked, the unpleasant smell will increase after the incision touches the air. So be sure to clean and chop when preparing for cooking.
Also, if the heating time is too long, the leek will soften and lose its original bright green, so pay attention to the heat when cooking.
Related recipes and food collocation
Leek dumplings
Mix leeks, shrimps and fried eggs together, add appropriate amount of seasoning and stir evenly to make stuffing, put appropriate amount of stuffing into each dough and wrap it.
Jiaozi is made up of many kinds of foods, and the stuffing is wrapped in the skin, so that various nutrients are not easy to be lost and the nutrition is more abundant.
Fried meat with leek
Fried leek slices and lean pork slices together can not only eliminate the special smell of leek, but also make carotene in leek and animal protein absorb synergistically, which improves the absorption rate of carotene. Therefore, the combination of leek and animal food can promote nutrient absorption, which is a quite good nutritional combination suit.