This week it’s leek health benefits from Kat’s Kitchen as I continue to focus on autumn seasonal vegetables.
Leeks belong to the same family as onions, garlic, spring onions and shallots. They tend to have a milder sweeter flavour than onions when they are cooked and can form a creamy consistency. With leeks not just the bulb is edible, the leaves and stems are also eaten.
There are several different varieties – both wild and cultivated and all have positive health benefits. Wild leeks are known as ramps and are much smaller in size with a stronger more intense flavour. To note, as leeks are less dense than garlic and onion, more needs to be eaten to get the same level of health benefits as you would get from garlic or onions – yet perhaps eating more leeks is easier than eating a lot of garlic when considering other people!
Here are some reasons to include leeks in your diet:
Leek Health Benefits
- Good source of soluble fibre, including prebiotics, which helps support a healthy gut. These bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids which reduce inflammation and strengthen gut health.
- Support and improve the immune system – leeks contain kaempferol which protects against bacteria, viruses and yeast infections.
- Help prevent/support the body in tackling cancer – the kaempferol in leeks, which is a polyphenol antioxidant, is helpful to prevent heart disease and cancer.