The benefits of plants have long been known for their nutritional and healing properties. Indigenous cultures especially understand the unique outcomes that many plant species offer. They knew that when they foraged for certain barks, leaves, and flowers that they would be able to cure specific ailments and help dress wounds so that the person wouldn’t die of infection. This ancient knowledge has been backed by greater scientific understanding in modern times as well.
Many people have discovered that food is medicine. When used in the right combinations, food can help heal intestinal problems, can improve hormone imbalances, and can even help people recover from sickness. There is a reason that your grandmother’s chicken soup was always seen as a healing soup. It wasn’t just the love she put into it, but the unique combination of meat, bone broth, vegetables, and herbs that blended together in just the right way to boost the immune system so that you could overcome sickness.
Vegetable Soup
There are countless vegetables out there that can help nourish your body and heal what’s ailing you. The best vegetable soups use bone broth as a base. Bone broth is beneficial because it has minerals your body needs, amino acids for building blocks, helps reduce the signs of aging, and more. A good vegetable soup will add herbs like basil that can fight infections, turmeric that can reduce inflammation, and even spicy chili powder with capsaicin that can reduce your appetite if needed. Then add in all your favorite vegetables like cabbage, onions, celery, carrots, sweet potato, and more.
All these vegetables are anti-inflammatory, add important nutrients, and with a variety of colors, each one has unique benefits. They say to eat the colors of the rainbow, so think of your favorite vegetables in greens, reds, oranges, yellows, and even white.
Roasted Vegetables
Roasting your vegetables adds robust flavors that you can’t get any other way. Chop your vegetables into cubes and toss with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs. Additionally, when you go out to eat at a place with a dome pizza oven you can ask the chef to roast your vegetables to perfection. The dome helps all the vegetables cook evenly and ensures you get golden and crispy edges that add incredible flavors. You can have them roast squash, onions, peppers, broccoli, and even delightful cauliflower.
You’ll get nutrients like potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, and even iron when you eat the right roasted vegetables. These vegetables improve gut health, boost your memory, and even help reduce joint pain and help you move more easily. The nutrition contained in fresh roasted vegetables helps your body heal and tastes delicious.
Raw Vegetable Salad
When most people think about eating their vegetables, they probably think about eating a salad. Let’s face it, salad can get boring after a while. But when you can buy fresh veggies, especially from a farmers’ market, you’ll get incredible benefits. If you want variety, try a Greek salad with romaine and iceberg lettuces. Add in olives, feta cheese, and even a fresh Greek Salad dressing. You’ll get some vitamin E and copper from the olives along with healthy fats. The lettuces have good fiber in them to aid in digestion plus a tone of vitamin A, some vitamin C, and even some B-6 and potassium.
Try an avocado salad for a boost of healthy fats in your diet. You can add things like cucumbers which have vitamin C and potassium. Tomatoes that have lycopene, an antioxidant that can help reduce inflammation and lowers the risk of heart disease. Add in some red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar to your salad dressing to improve digestion.
Hot and Cold Salad
There is something refreshing about making roasted vegetables, lean meats, and other warm toppings and placing them on a cold salad. Not only does this add incredible flavor, but it also helps with digestion in the way that your body responds to the combination of warm and cold ingredients. Try taking your roasted vegetables and simply eat them on top of your cold garden salad. This little thing will help your body get all the nutrition it needs. You can even add garnishes like herbs that boost your immune system. Rosemary and sage also help improve memory and cognition. You’ll love how all the flavors work together in this unique option.
Vegetable Juices
Juicing has become very popular amongst health professionals. It would be very difficult to eat enough vegetables and fruits to get all the nutrients needed each day. You can juice them to concentrate those nutrients into one tall glass and enjoy them in a delicious beverage. Some people like to make a juices that have multiple vegetables in it, while others tout the benefits of a single vegetable juice like a celery juice.
Celery juice is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, for adding back important vitamins and minerals, and for helping fight free radicals. Many people even use juicing in conjunction with cancer treatments because it’s easy on the stomach and helps to give patients all the nutrients they need without needing to eat a lot of food.
Ginger Soup
Create a delightful carrot-ginger soup the next time you’re not feeling well. The vitamin A from the carrots and the gingerol in the ginger will help you fight off whatever you’re sick with. Ginger is known especially for helping fight off colds and cases of flu and can even soothe sore throats and reduce coughs. If your tummy is upset, ginger can also provide better relief than many over-the-counter medications. When you want to reduce the oxidative stress in your body, fight off free radicals, or even get relief from joint pain, ginger can help.
Some people simply add a bit of ginger to soups and salad dressings to give them the boost they need. Another great ginger soup recipe is a unique take on traditional tomato soup. With tomato puree and water as the base, you can build a delicious soup by adding grated ginger, salt, garlic, basil, and a little thickener like cornmeal.