Seven knowledge of eating leek: stomach strengthening and blood vessel protecting
From the point of view of traditional Chinese medicine, leek is the most suitable for nourishing yang qi, which has the effects of warming Qi, dispersing blood, detoxifying, keeping warm and strengthening stomach. From the perspective of modern nutrition, leek is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Dietary fiber can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, avoid constipation, reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer, and potassium can improve the symptoms of hypertension and heart disease.
Another nutritional highlight of leek is rich in phytochemicals, such as sulfur compounds and volatile essential oils. They not only make leek have a unique smell of leek, but also help sterilization, increase appetite, expand blood vessels, prevent arteriosclerosis, reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease.
Leek also contains saponins, flavonoids and other substances, can help improve immunity, but also reduce blood lipids.
Species difference: wide leaf leek has good taste and narrow leaf leek has strong taste
There are wide leaves and narrow leaves in the market. The leaves of leek with broad leaves are light green, the content of dietary fiber is low, the taste is relatively good, but the taste is relatively light. The leaves of narrow leaf leek are long, dark green, and rich in dietary fiber. The taste of narrow leaf leek is not as good as wide leaf leek, but the taste is stronger. So for those who really like leek, narrow leaf leek should be the first choice. It should be noted that there is no significant difference in nutrition between the two kinds of leeks.
Selection tips: cut flat leek fresh
When selecting leek, freshness is a very important index, which needs to look at the root incision of leek. Generally speaking, the more flat the incision is, the fresher the leek is; holding the root of leek, the leaves can stand upright, which means the quality is better. If the root cut of leek grows out, or the leaves are loose, it may be put for a long time, and the flavor of leek will be weakened. In addition, the roots of fresh leeks are white, with a lot of moisture, which looks very bright; the roots of old leeks are cyan. Can also pinch a root, with the hand can pinch the leek is relatively fresh.
Preliminary treatment: select leek and root half an inch
Generally speaking, the root of leek is the place with the most pesticide residues. Leek maggots, which are lethal pests to leek, live underground. If they bite the roots of leek, the roots of leek will rot, break and cannot grow. The general spraying pesticide is not effective to this kind of pest. It is necessary to apply the pesticide underground and pour it into the root of leek to effectively remove "leek maggots". Therefore, when eating leek, we must cut off the root at least half an inch. After cleaning with water, soak for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with water for 1-2 times.
Cooking tips: stir fry quickly without vinegar
The cooking methods of leek are various, such as quick fry, filling, soup, stir fry, etc. it can also be eaten directly with salt, spices, etc. Because the sulfur compounds in leek are easy to lose in heat, when cooking, it is necessary to wait for other ingredients to mature before putting them into leek, and then stir fry quickly. It needs to be reminded that vinegar should not be added when cooking, otherwise it will cause the chlorophyll decolorization in leek, which will lead to poor selling of dishes.
Storage reminder: do not "naked" in refrigerator storage
The leeks that are too late to eat should be preserved. If they need to be put into the refrigerator for refrigeration, it is better to seal them with a fresh-keeping bag first, so as not to cause the irritating taste of leeks to spread to other foods; the leeks can also be tied with string, and the roots are placed in a clear water basin; or wrapped with cabbage leaves, and placed in a cool and ventilated place.
Diet taboo: three kinds of people should eat less
Although leek is rich in nutrition, it is not suitable for everyone. First of all, people who love to get angry have a hot constitution. They often have symptoms of getting angry such as constipation, dry tongue and sore mouth. However, leeks are warm and warm. If they eat a lot, the symptoms of getting angry will be more serious. Secondly, leek is rich in dietary fiber, which can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, but it is not easy to digest. Patients with gastric ulcer, gastrointestinal discomfort, loose stool had better eat less leek, otherwise a large number of crude fiber will stimulate the intestinal wall, causing diarrhea. Finally, because of the weak physique and poor digestion ability, it is recommended not to eat leek.