When we eat raw plant based foods we absorb much more all the vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and other nutrients contained in the foods we consume. Eating raw food doesn’t always mean that you should eat it cold. We can always heat it in a pot up to 40ºC which is a temperature that preserves most of its nutrients. Try not to use the microwave oven. Take note of this raw spinach soup recipe!
Raw Spinach Soup Recipe
Why Should We Eat raw Spinach?
Researchers from Linköping University in Sweden have proven that lutein is particularly beneficial for the cardiovascular system, as it helps maintain healthy arteries.
Lutein breaks down with heat, so most of its beneficial effects are lost when cooked. Therefore, if you’re interested in preserving this specific nutrient to improve your cardiovascular system, you should eat raw spinach.
Additionally, researchers have investigated how much lutein is reduced with different cooking methods: boiled, steamed or sautéed at various temperatures.
The highest amounts of available lutein were found in smoothies made with raw spinach, especially those containing dairy products (which can be substituted by plant-based beverages). Spinach that had been cooked showed lower levels of lutein, especially when been cooked for long time.
Like many other vegetables, spinach is packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. One of these compounds apart from lutein is clorophyl a pigment also found in many green leafy vegetables. It’s an antioxidant that supports the immune system and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Spinach Details:
– It is a vegetable composed mostly of water.
– Contains very few carbohydrates but is high in protein.
– It is rich in vitamins and minerals and is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
– Minerals: Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, and Phosphorus.
– Vitamins A, C, E, K, and B-group vitamins (including folic acid).
Ingredients:
– 50g of spinach
– 30g of grated parsnip
– Half an avocado
– 30g of ground hazelnuts
– 150ml of alkaline water
– Herb salt
– 1 tablespoon of shoyu sauce
– 1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil (a plant-based source of Omega-3)
Preparation:
- Boil or steam for 2 minutes the spinach with little water.
- Then add the grated parsnip, avocado, and ground hazelnuts with a bit more water and continue blending.
- Once you obtain a thick and smooth cream add the remaining water, shoyu sauce, and adjust the flavor with herb salt.
- The texture should be very creamy without lumps.
Garnish:
Decorate with white sesame seeds and small diced red pepper. And you can add also a few drops of Chlrophyl to enhance its green color and healthy qualities.
