2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44
Alligator meat, acai berries, mung beans - thanks to globalization, we can taste many exotic healthy foods, although some of them are still quite difficult to get. This article contains a list of 20 rare products in our country that contain a sea of vitamins and beneficial trace elements.
In large supermarkets, you can find foods you have never tasted - exotic fruits, vegetables from family farms, herbs and spices from Asia, uncommon grains highly prized by ancient civilizations.
What's cool about the products listed below? They are super nutritious and packed with the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Look for them in the big supermarket and you won't regret it.
1. Hikama
Jicama, or pachirisus cut, is cultivated in Central America for a large root vegetable that resembles a potato, but is juicier and slightly sweet.
What is useful
One cup of jicama contains 49 calories and 6 grams of fiber. It also contains a lot of vitamin C.
How to cook
You can cut them into slices and eat them raw, or boil them like potatoes until they are tender.
2. Kamut
Pharaohs dined on this ancient wheat. Kamut grains are twice as large as wheat, and they cook much faster. Nutritionists recommend kamut as an alternative to brown rice.
What is useful
Kamut is rich in vitamin E and amino acids. It has more heart-healthy fatty acids than any other grain. It also contains 40% more protein than ordinary wheat, and is high in magnesium and zinc.
How to cook
Cook in water for about an hour, until the beans are tender. After that, you can mix with vegetables, fried in oil, season with soy sauce and add a little lemon juice.
3. Puer tea
Puerh is a Chinese tea with an earthy scent. It is produced using a special technology when the harvested leaves undergo a fermentation procedure.
What is useful
To investigate the effects of tea on fat, Chinese scientists divided rats into five groups, fed them a different diet, and fed them that way for two months. The control group received normal food, the second group received fatty foods without Pu-erh tea, the other three groups received fatty foods with tea extract additives in different doses.
The researchers found that tea reduced the concentration of triglycerides and animal fats in the body in rats who ate a high-fat meal. Pu-erh is a natural fat breaker, like barberry, rooibos and white tea.
4. Amaranth
Like quinoa, this grain was eaten by Native Americans and was a staple of the Inca's diet. The grains have a mild nutty flavor.
What is useful
It contains more fiber and protein than brown rice, it contains a lot of vitamins. Studies have shown that amaranth can help lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels.
How to cook
Amaranth is cooked like rice, but it is more versatile. You can mix it with toasted vegetables and use it as a side dish with fried chicken or steak, or add it to a salad with apples, nuts and goat cheese.
5. Sunflower sprouts
These crispy, nutty-flavored sprouts are harvested when the sunflower is about a week old.
Why are they useful?
They contain a lot of heart-healthy fats, fiber and vegetable protein found in sunflower seeds, but unlike seeds, sprouts are less calories.
How to cook
Rinse thoroughly, then drizzle with olive oil, salt and use as a side dish with fried chicken. You can also make sandwiches with the sprouts.
6. Fenugreek
This pungent, fragrant herb is used in many Indian dishes.
What is useful
Scientists believe that fenugreek can lower blood sugar levels after a meal by delaying gastric emptying. This slows down the absorption of carbohydrates and increases the sensitivity of cells to the action of insulin.
How to cook
Fenugreek is a component of many spices, such as suneli hops. You can add a teaspoon of pure fenugreek to the beef stew to add flavor to the dish, or add whole seeds to rice for a South Asian-style dish.
7. Physalis
This is a plant of the nightshade family, the fruits of which are often compared to tomatoes, and are popularly called "emerald berry" or "earthy cranberry". Many species of physalis grow in South America, where it is called the "golden berry" (goldenberries). Physalis is sold both fresh and dried.
What is useful
A serving of dried physalis contains 4 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Physalis is also an excellent source of vitamin A and antioxidants.
How to cook
Dried physalis can be chewed as a snack or added to salad or morning porridge.
8. Black chokeberry
The homeland of the chokeberry is the eastern part of North America. Native Americans considered it a wonderful fruit. Now sour-sweet fruits with a tart astringent taste are cultivated in the northern part of Russia.
What is useful
No fruit contains more anthocyanins, a cancer-fighting antioxidant that makes the fruit appear dark purple or black. Also, thanks to this substance, chokeberry is useful for the cardiovascular system: it fights chronic inflammation and liver diseases.
How to use
Can be added to smoothies along with blueberries and black currants for an antioxidant boost.
9. Sardines
This fatty fish holds the record for omega-3 fatty acids. It is also rich in calcium.
Why are they useful?
Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids improve health in many ways, from lowering cholesterol levels to improving mood and reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
How to use
You can eat sardines straight out of the can, or wrap the sardines around the almond-stuffed olives. Or you can cut up sardines and stuff them with cherry peppers.
10. Celery rhizome
This root vegetable compensates for its unaesthetic appearance with a pleasant aroma.
What is useful
Celery rhizome is rich in vitamin K, vitamin C and potassium.
How to cook
It goes well with other vegetables in soups, stews. You can also add celery rhizome to mashed potatoes, preparing it in the same way as potatoes: peel, boil, mash. It will add a sweet earthy flavor to your meal and reduce the amount of carbs in your serving.
11. Tulasi, or holy basil
It is a bush leaf popular in Indian and Thai cuisine. Ideal ingredient for a dish you want to add freshness and flavor to.
What is useful
Animal studies have shown that the natural chemicals in tulsi can help fight diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
How to cook
Tulasi is best eaten fresh. You can add the leaves to scrambled eggs, soups, and salads.
12. Chinese lychees
The large fruits of the Chinese plum have a rich taste and aroma. The white-transparent pulp easily separates from the rind and has a sweet, slightly astringent taste.
Why are they useful?
This fruit contains a lot of potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. Lychee also contains a lot of niacin - vitamin PP, which prevents the development of atherosclerosis.
How to use
Lychee can be bought from May to the end of July - at this time, the harvest of these fruits takes place. At other times of the year, it is very difficult to find fresh fruits, but it is quite possible to eat lychees canned in their own juice or coconut milk.
13. Hemp seeds
Hemp seeds can be simply clicked like sunflower seeds.
Buying hemp seeds is not punishable by law. Unlike growing cannabis, for which there is a fine.
Why are they useful?
During growth, hemp seeds produce a lot of high quality protein - 6 grams per teaspoon. Even more than fish or beef. The seeds also contain the health-promoting alpha-linolenic acid.
How to cook
Eat as a snack or add to salads and omelets.
14. Acai berries
These are the fruits of palm trees in the Amazon - grape-sized berries that taste like blueberries.
Why are they useful?
Research has shown that these dark purple berries contain high levels of antioxidants - more than pomegranate and blueberries.
How to use
The berries can be eaten fresh or sipped with acai juice.
15. Mash, or mung beans
Eaten in India and China, these beans have a delicate texture, sweet taste and nutty aroma.
Why are they useful?
Mung beans are high in potassium, iron and fiber, 24% protein. Plus, unlike many other legumes, mung beans retain a lot of vitamin C even after boiling.
How to use
Cook the mung beans until tender, then add them to the salad. The natural sweetness of the beans will provide great flavor without the extra calories.
16. Nori
These algae are familiar to all lovers of Japanese cuisine - this is the dark thin sheet in which the rolls are wrapped. Nori adds a salty flavor to dishes and is used in soups, salads and sushi.
Why are they useful?
High levels of fiber and protein, triple dose of cancer-fighting substances - phytonutrients lignans.
How to use
You can make your own rolls or grind nori in a coffee grinder and use as a seasoning.
17. Cherry peppers
This sweet-spicy fruit looks like a cross between cherry tomatoes and paprika. They are quite popular with chefs in the United States.
Why are they useful?
Cherry peppers are high in vitamin B6, lycopene, and vitamin C.
How to use
Can be added to a salad with avocado and almonds or a paste with olive oil and garlic. You can stuff the peppers with sardines or goat cheese.
18. Alligator meat
Alligator meat has a dry, soft veal-like texture and a neutral flavor that goes well with a variety of spices and sauces.
What is useful
Lots of omega-3 fatty acids, more protein than chicken.
How to cook
Mix each kilogram of meat with 4 teaspoons of the seasoning. Grill or skillet.
19. Ioli
Light mayonnaise sauce made from olive oil, eggs and garlic. It was invented in the south of France and is traditionally served with seafood, hard-boiled eggs and vegetables.
What is useful
Unlike regular store-bought mayonnaise, aioli is a great source of heart-healthy olive oil, protein and vitamin E from eggs.
How to cook
You can make a delicious sauce for meat and seafood yourself. To do this, you will need:
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 2 egg yolks;
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 250 ml olive oil;
- salt.
Chop the garlic, whisk all the ingredients in a blender, and refrigerate for an hour.
20. Jerusalem artichoke
This vegetable is also called the Jerusalem artichoke, although it is far from both artichokes and Israel. Jerusalem artichoke looks like a potato and has a slightly sweet taste.
What is useful
Jerusalem artichoke contains fructooligosaccharides - sweet fibers that promote good digestion and can boost immunity.
How to cook
Try Jerusalem artichoke as an alternative to French fries. Cut it into strips, fry in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, bake at 180 ° C for about 15-20 minutes.
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