Leek

Leek – a perennial herbaceous plant from family Bulbous. Its homeland – the Mediterranean, remained a wild-growing form of these onions there. In general leek well grows in warm climate. It is quite widespread vegetable culture in the countries of Europe and America.

Food properties of leek do it by especially valuable food stuff for gourmets. In the absence of a pungent smell it possesses a gentle slaboostry shade of taste and aroma.

With the food purpose use false stalks and young green leaves of a plant. In the first year of life the socket of leaves and a stalk 10 - 60 cm long and with a diameter of 2 - 5 cm grows. It is productive body and comes to an end below with a thickening like bulbous. Flat linear leaves of a plant of green color, reach length of 90 cm and width of 3 - 6 cm. On the second year leek blossoms, the inflorescence has it an appearance of a spherical umbrella with a set of small white or pinkish flowers.

There are many grades of this plant, the greatest distribution was gained such of them as Mercury, Bulgarian late-ripening and Karathane.

Advantage of leek

Useful properties of leek are known since the Middle Ages. Now they are evidence-based thanks to the fact that the detailed structure of this plant is studied. The stalk and leaves of leek differ in the high content of useful microelements – calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and sulfur. These substances participate in regulation of biochemical reactions and enter into structure of cells. Iron is important for the prevention of decrease in hemoglobin. Potassium improves cardiac performance, its salts as a part of a plant have weak diuretic effect. In addition leek contains cellulose and phytalbumins.

Leek is also vitamin-rich groups B, C, PP, A. The fact that at storage of onions the content of ascorbic acid in a white part of a false stalk not only does not decrease is interesting, but even raises by 1,5 times.

It should be noted advantage of leek at a scurvy, an urolithiasis, rheumatism, gout, atherosclerosis. It improves health and gives force at physical and mental overfatigue.

It is known of the properties of leek capable to normalize a metabolism, to increase functional activity of digestive glands with strengthening of production of enzymes and digestive juices. Therefore it can be recommended for the use to people with reduced appetite. Cholagogue properties of leek with success apply at congestive processes in a liver and at failures in its work.

Caloric content of leek makes about 40 kcal on 100 g of a product that is comparable to figures of energy value of onions. It allows to include leek in a diet to corpulent people. Thanks to the high content of useful salts it accelerates a metabolism. Because of low caloric content leek can be carried to dietary products at obesity.

Preparation of leek

Before using leek in food, it should be washed carefully under flowing cold water from the earth which gets between green leaves. Generally it is used fresh, sometimes in tinned. To reserve onions for the winter, it can be dried. The advantage of leek remains also in the frozen look, quite often it is frozen in mix with other vegetables. Its fresh stalks in the cool place remain fresh up to 5 months.

Leek is used as ingredient for meat and vegetable soups, salads, sauces, do of it puree, added to meat and fish dishes, fried eggs. Pleasant flavoring properties of these onions are well combined with cheese.

Contraindications to the use of leek

As this plant has ability to considerably stimulate digestive glands, it can provoke an aggravation of a gastroduodenit, a peptic ulcer of a stomach or duodenum. At these diseases it is necessary to be careful in the use of leek.

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