Each month we will be looking at the nutritional value of a particular fruit or vegetable in season. Whether you are growing in a Polytunnel, Greenhouse or outside in the open garden, there will be bag full’s of natural goodness in anything you sow. This month we look at the Leek. Part of the Onion family, along with garlic, Leeks can add an oniony tang to most dishes, perfect in soups and when cooked down can add another layer of flavour to ingredients such as ham, cheese, potato and pasta. When not providing good flavour, Leeks do have numerous health benefits. According to Joanna Blythman, who writes in the Guardian Online, she says that “Leeks are an excellent source of vitamin A, which aids vision and supports the immune system, and bone-building vitamin K and manganese” as well as going on to suggest that “it reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases – cancer in particular. It also appears to support our cardiovascular system by protecting our blood vessel linings”. In addition, the Health Benefits Times states that Leeks help sustain a healthy digestion... “Leek is probably the very few foods which contain prebiotics bacteria which will keep our digestive system working efficiently”. One other key factor of eating Leeks is the amount of calories they contain. The Nutrition and You website claims that they “are moderately low in calories...approx 100g of fresh stalks carry round 61 calories” ... perfect for use as part of a calorie controlled diet. Even TV chefs such as the BBC’s Hairy Bikers have used Leeks in a home-made low calorie Lasagne recipe, substituting the pasta sheets (which are high in calories) for blanched Leeks – and it works! To round up our view on the humble Leek, we found a classic Leek and Potato soup recipe from the people over at allrecipes.co.uk for you to try. It is delicious, hearty and perfect to keep the winter cold at bay!http://www.lowsynlife.com/content/hairy-bikers-not-so-skinny-beef-lasagne
