Alright, winter can be much better with many other things like cinnamon cookies, kourampiedes, hot chocolate, Christmas presents and so on! However, we should never forget that winter is the time when our immune systems ‘needs us’ the most. Therefore, we have to take care of it and provide ourselves with some healthy stuff in between the sweet treats!
Here’s 4 things that you should know about leek:
- Where does it come from?
We are not going to give you a botanic lesson here, of course! There are a few things, though, that might seem interesting for you to know. For example, have you heard that leek is said to originate from the Eastern Mediterranean lands? There are some rumors that the veggie was very highly appreciated in ancient Egypt. According to a theory, when Cheops Pharaoh (a.k.a. Pharaoh Khufu) wanted to show gratitude towards the priests, he gave out a solid amount of leek. So, basically the vegetable was some kind of a gift, which went along with the material stuff.
Another intriguing fact is that ancient Greeks and Romans used to spread the vegetable’s popularity across Europe. Many of their emperors enjoyed snacking on leek, which lead to it becoming quite famous as a food.
- How to choose/pick it?
Although you can find leek almost during the whole year, you should know that winter is its main season. Many of you are quite unsure how to recognize which veggie is fresh and good enough. All in all, you should always look for leeks with light (looking fresh!) white part without any stains and rotting parts. What’s more, always go for leeks that have a straight end that’s no wider than 4cm in diameter. The bigger and wider the leek’s springs, the more ‘elastic’ it would feel in the mouth. So keep that in mind next time you are in the shop!
- How to store it correctly?
After the ‘picking lesson’ there comes the next and very important step – storage. In order for you to keep the veggie as fresh as possible for a long time, you can do two simple things. One of them is to put it into a nylon bag (without washing it with water) and leave it in the fridge. This will guarantee its life for at least a week! The other thing you can do takes a bit more time, though. You earth it up in a big plant pot or directly in the garden and this way you can take advantage of it whenever you wish.
- How healthy is it?
Leek can actually be your best friend during the cold season. It’s not for no reason that we said winter would be better with the veggie! Rich in vitamins B6 and C, leek can definitely be a booster for your immune system. What’s more, it’s also thought to contain microelements like magnesium, copper and calcium, which can affect your overall health in a positive way. You don’t believe us? Read more in this article!
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