The leek it is a vegetable that has been cultivated since ancient timesIt is characterized by its white bulb that forms in the base part of the leaves and is usually the part that we eat. Like many people, we mostly use it as a condiment when we cookfor the characteristic flavor that it gives to our meals, although in addition to serving as a condiment, it also we can eat it raw or we can prepare purees, cakes or if we prefer to use them in soufflés.
El leek It is a vegetable that belongs to the family of onions and garlicsince they are lily plants, but it differs from these others because its bulb is smaller and more elongated, even so they share many of its properties. This vegetable it is a quite resistant plant to climates where it is very cold and are usually sown for the last months of winter, since we can grow the first plants that we have sown in the spring.
This vegetable has the scientific name of Garlic leeksbut it is also known by different names, such as the joint, garlic joint, garlic leek, leek, onion leek or as a joint onion and is a plant that comes from Europe and Western Asia.
This plant has a fairly abundant root formation and they have a white colorthe stem has its place on them taking the shape of a disk, as happens with garlic and onions. In this way, on this stem the leaves are located forming the characteristic bulbwhich this time is elongated and white. The leaves of the leek are green in color and have a flat shape, which can sometimes be about 40 or 50 cm high.
It has a somewhat mild flavor and much sweeter than that of onion.
Generally, the leek blooms during its second year after being sown and also produces somewhat rounded black seeds. And even though they are very cold resistant plants As we have already mentioned, they prefer climates with somewhat temperate temperatures and a lot of humidity, with quite deep soils, rich in nutrients and fresh.
Leek properties and benefits
In the same way as onions and garlic, leek has a high content of sulfur componentsmainly aliciana, which give this vegetable a high content of antibacterial, diuretic and circulatory properties.
El leek it is generally considered as a good antibiotic of natural originsince it is quite ideal to eliminate microorganisms that can cause a large number of intestinal diseases.
Eating a lot of leek in our daily diet, we it will be of great help to improve the conditions of our large intestine and apart from this, to avoid any abnormality such as putrefactions in the intestine that can cause a lot of flatulence or discomfort such as diarrhea.
In another sense, its high selenium content can help us strengthen the body’s defensessince they contribute as one of the foods that provide more protection against the appearance of some diseases that may be contagious. Leek is a vegetable that can help us improve circulationsince its compounds with high sulfur content, give this plant fluidifying properties that are of great benefit to the blood.
These components of great importance such as alliin and ajoene, help our bodies to avoid the formation of thrombi or clots in the bloodstream.
If we improve blood circulation, the consumption of leeks is quite ideal for those who present varieties of circulatory diseases that are related to the cause of poor circulationamong which we can mention diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, myocardial infarctions, angina pectoris or any other that is detrimental to blood circulation. In turn, on these occasions it is recommended for people not consuming or reducing foods that contain a lot of salt and also those foods high in saturated fat.
Furthermore, the high zinc content can be of great help to us to contribute in the battle against the lack of generation of the walls of the arteries, so that, with the union of its ability to dilute the blood, it turns the leek into one of the most suitable foods for the prevention of some of the diseases that can be generated in the veins, such as varicose veins and hemorrhoids.
Another benefit that we can mention is that the consumption of leeks helps us lower cholesterol and triglycerides.
According to studies carried out, it has been proven that a diet that is based on vegetables such as leek in this case, can be of great help to lower the content of cholesterol and triglycerideshelping the arteries stay in the best conditions and can also prevent vascular accidents that are related to the level of cholesterol in the blood.
We can also implement this vegetable as treatment for constipationsince its high mucilage content gives it properties indicated for this treatment. The fiber contained in the leek is capable of being fermented by the bacteria contained in the colon and helps us to increase the fermentative microbiota, which helps prevent diseases like colon cancer.
Another reason why it is good to implement the leek in our diet is because of its use to represent a good diureticsince due to its properties it is very favorable to eliminate fluids in the body.
It is used a lot for increase urine and be able to eliminate substances in the event that the person has obesity or fluid retention. It can also help us in the urinary disease preventionin the formation of stones or stones in the kidneys and apart from this it is recommended for the treatment against hypertension, due to its high potassium content that helps balance the salt content in meals.
Although it seems a bit strange, the leek can also help us in our respiratory system. If chewed (especially raw), the leek gives off oils with bactericidal properties As we have already mentioned, that by being inhaled when we breathe they help to decontaminate the nose and throat of bacteria that can be harmful.
In addition to being a food that we can use as a condiment so that our meals have a great flavor, there are other uses for which we can implement the leek, which in this case are natural medicineswith which we manage to make the most of all its properties and benefits.
Ways to consume leeks
- Leek tea: If we learn how to prepare leek tea, we can use it for respiratory ailments.
- Purifying broth for weight loss: As we have already mentioned, we can use the leek in combination with other vegetables to avoid constipation and fluid retention.
- Garlic and leek soup for treating hypertension: a recipe that is of great help in this disease, due to its properties to lower blood pressure.
