Leek is the very useful product having many curative qualities. It contains folic acid, vitamins of group B, C, E, carotene, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, essential oils and also albumens.
Leek has low caloric content - 50 Kcal on 100 g of a product therefore it can be used in food at observance of a diet. Its nutrition value is on 100 g: cellulose – 2 g, proteins – 1 g, carbohydrates – 13 g, sugar – 3 g. It is very useful to eat leek at anemia as the large amount of iron which is contained in a product stimulates production of hemoglobin, and vitamin C improves process of intake of iron in blood.
The magnesium which are contained in a leek, phosphorus, folic acid have beneficial influence on work of nervous system. The leek is capable to improve memory and to increase concentration of attention. Fresh leek stops inflammatory processes, destroys infections, can treat gout, arthritises. Passing on urinary tract, active agents adjust work of an urinogenital system at cystitis.
Thanks to the content of folic acid, the leek is included in a diet of pregnant women. The essential oils which are available in onions are capable to cure an organism of colds, upper respiratory tract infections. Phytoncides of a leek are very effective against stafilokokk, dysentery, streptococci, causative agents of tuberculosis. Fresh leek isn't recommended to eat at diseases of a stomach and intestines. Other contraindications for inclusion of this product in a diet aren't available. Leek on taste reminds onions, however it less sharp and more sweet. At a leek eat white stalks and also the neogrowing coarse young leaves. From leek it is possible to prepare a set of various dishes. Make for example, light summer salad. Wash onions. Cut with thin rings white stalks. Pour out them in a bowl, squeeze out lemon juice there, salt and add olive oil. It is possible to add grated apple to such salad. Cook tasty soup from leek. For this purpose cut white stalks of a leek 1-2 cm long, grate carrot and a root of a celery. Put all this in a frying pan, add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Stew vegetables on small fire to softness, then put them in a small saucepan and fill in with boiled water or rather weak broth. Add salt to taste. On the second it is possible to make "onions sticks". For this purpose cut white stalks of a leek on pieces about 4 cm long. Boil them in the added some salt water, take out a skimmer, cool a little. Roll in each "stick" in flour, then in egg, in flour and again in egg again. Fry them in vegetable oil. Add to leek dishes before giving on a table various seasonings: this product is perfectly combined with parsley, rosemary, a sage, a basil, a thyme.