In the mood for a chunky soup you can actually chew? No pureeing here! High-fiber lentils promote heart health, lower cholesterol, provide vegetable protein, stabilize blood sugar, and are rich in iron and B vitamins. We love to combine turmeric and other spices that are touted for healing and anticancer properties with vitamin rich tomatoes, onions, spinach and chickpeas for the perfect Mediterranean blend. Whether you call them “chickpeas” or “garbanzos”, you’re still flooding your body with all the healthy protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals that these legumes have. This soup promises to gently warm your stomach, nourish your body and keep you satisfied throughout the day.
We love lentils for so many reasons. First, lentils contain virtually no fat, so they fill you up, not out! They are also good for heart health and they have a high content of magnesium (which helps your veins and arteries relax, allowing them to function more efficiently) and help restore sufficient iron to the body. Long live lentils!
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are a great part of a healthy diet. They are low in bad fats, and loaded in minerals and vitamins, as well as dietary fiber. Eating chickpeas on a regular basis is, thus, a great way to control you weight, reduce your cholesterol, reduce the risk of diabetes and improve intestinal health.
They are sweet, juicy and delicious. But, that’s not all, they are also extremely low in calories, cholesterol, sodium and they are fat free. Tomatoes are an excellent source of Vitamins A, B6, C and K as well as folate, potassium and other essential minerals. Not to mention, one serving gives you 2 grams of fiber, which is 7% of the daily recommended amount.
Onions may make you tear but they should be tears of joy! Our ancestors used onions for centuries to reduce inflammation and heal infections. Onions also contain chromium, which assists in regulating blood sugar. A powerful compound called quercetin in onions is known to play a significant role in preventing cancer. Onions also scavenge free radicals, helping reducing the risk of gastric ulcers.
Sixteen sulfur containing compounds not only give garlic its powerful scent, they provide the blood vessels with the elastic strength to dilate as needed to regulate blood pressure. Researchers have discovered its role in limiting fat cell production and controlling obesity. Known for centuries for its antibacterial and antiviral properties, garlic may also facilitate iron metabolism, allowing a unique transport system for optimum bioavailability. Excellent source of manganese, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, copper, and selenium.
Have you heard all the fuss about turmeric these days? Well, it’s deserved. Turmeric, a very common herb, has long been used in the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat a variety of symptoms and disorders, including jaundice, menstrual difficulties, inflammatory bowel disease, hemorrhage, tooth aches, bruises, chest pain and colic. The modern world has caught on and clinical studies have substantiated that the yellow or orange pigment of turmeric, or curcumin, has very powerful anti-oxidant effects, and, thus, is able to neutralize free radicals, chemicals that can travel through the body and cause great amounts of damage to healthy cells and cell membranes, Studies have linked the frequent consumption of turmeric to lower rates of breast, prostate, and lung and colon cancers. If this herb weren’t already doing enough for us. research also suggests curcumin may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. What more can this little herb do?!!
Parsley contains an us usual combination of violative oils shown to inhibit tumor growth due to its “chemoprotective” qualities that help neutralize certain carcinogenic effects. Rich in folate, it normalizes cell division and lowers homocysteine levels for cardiovascular health. Excellent source of Vitamin K, C, A, folate, and iron.
Paprika powder, made from aromatic bell peppers, not just spices up a dish and adds to its warm color, but it also packed with numerous nutrients, including high levels of vitamin C, A, E and K. It is also loaded with carotenids, iron, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus which help purify blood and give a boost to heart health and more. Paprika gets its hotness from the chemical capsaicin which studies have shown to help drive prostate cancer cells to kill themselves.
With more bark than bite, cinnamon imparts its natural essential oils to create the perfect aromatic nuance of comfort to both sweet and savory foods. Powerfully antiviral and offering a subtle array of antioxidant mechanisms, this spice lends its healing comfort with just a hint familiar taste.