On your pursuit to consuming a extra plant-based weight loss program, which new plant meals are you including to your meals record? Try these 5 plant meals—hemp, tempeh, kohlrabi, jicama, and okra—to open your horizons to healthful, various consuming. While these plant-based meals have been a part of conventional diets for eons—they might be new to your kitchen, providing an thrilling alternative to revel of their flavors and textures.
Are you consuming extra plant-forward? Good for you! But it is likely to be time to take an excellent take a look at your pantry and your plant-based meals record to see if it may use some growth. If you’re consuming the identical carrots, peas, and potatoes, possibly it’s time to open your horizons, improve the variety of your weight loss program, and get out of your consolation zone just a bit bit. These 5 meals could also be rather less acquainted to you, however they’re all nutrient-rich, scrumptious plant meals which were a part of conventional diets for hundreds of years, and they’re value together with in your weight loss program extra usually, it doesn’t matter what your consuming model. I’m speaking hemp seeds, tempeh, okra, jicama, and kohlrabi! Learn extra about these flavorful plant meals, in addition to their diet advantages and recipes for cooking them on this easy information.
5 New Plant Based Foods to Eat Now
1. Hemp Seeds
What are hemp seeds? Hemp seeds (additionally known as hemp hearts) are small, pale-beige to darkish brown seeds that come from the Cannabis sativa plant. They type the edible a part of the hemp plant, and have a light, nutty taste. The de-hulled or shelled hemp seeds are often called hemp hearts.
What are the well being advantages of hemp seeds? Hemp seeds are very nutritious. They are wealthy in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and are additionally an awesome supply of top quality protein, since they supply all important amino acids. They comprise gamma-linolenic acid, which has been linked to lowered irritation and decreased danger of coronary heart illness.3 Whole hemp seeds are additionally an excellent supply of soluble and insoluble fiber, which assist to manage blood sugar and levels of cholesterol and help in digestion.4
Hemp Seed Nutrition
1 ounce (about 3 tablespoons) of hulled hemp seeds incorporates:
47 g protein
495 mg phosphorus
360 mg potassium
4 g polyunsaturated fatty acids
6 g monounsaturated fatty acids
How do you employ hemp seeds? Hemp seeds could be eaten uncooked, cooked or roasted. You can add them to smoothies and salads, or sprinkle them onto cereal or yogurt. Hemp seeds will also be used as cold-pressed seed oil, hemp milk and plant-based protein powder. Prepare your subsequent energy bowl with some hemp seeds and baked tofu utilizing this Tofu Kale Power Bowl with Tahini Dressing recipe.
2. Okra
What is okra? Okra, often known as gumbo or “lady’s fingers,” is an herbaceous plant from the mallow household. The fruit or pod is furry on the base, with dark-colored seeds. Okra incorporates giant quantities of mucilage, which provides okra its attribute thick consistency.
What are the well being advantages of okra? Okra seeds comprise high-quality proteins and unsaturated fats, and have additionally been proven to have anticancer and anti inflammatory properties.5 Okra flowers are additionally good sources of flavonoids and polysaccharides and are concerned in regulating the physique’s immune system.6
Okra Nutrition
10 items (40 g) of dried okra comprise:
3 g protein
150 mg calcium
2 mg vitamin C
400 IU vitamin A
How do you employ okra? Okra can be utilized in soups and stews, or as a fried or boiled vegetable. Experience okra on this traditional Red Bean and Okra Jambalaya recipe with a daring twist.
3. Tempeh
What is tempeh? Tempeh is a standard Indonesian meals constructed from fermented soybeans and grains which were soaked and cooked. It has a dry, agency and chewy texture, with a barely nutty taste. It is normally shaped right into a patty or compact cake. During the fermentation course of, enzymes are produced which will enhance the provision of minerals and help in digestion of sugars. Fermentation additionally enhances the vitamin B content material of tempeh, which improves dietary properties.7
What are tempeh well being advantages? Tempeh is a wonderful supply of calcium and protein, because it incorporates all the important amino acids. It can be excessive in soluble fiber, isoflavones, and important fatty acids.8 In reality, isoflavones, that are lively organic compounds, have been discovered to have antioxidant exercise. The fermentation of tempeh may additionally make it’s simpler to digest in comparison with non-fermented soy meals or complete soybeans. Recent analysis reveals that the vitamins in tempeh are linked to decreased danger of coronary heart illness and stroke, osteoporosis, most cancers and digestive issues, in addition to managing signs of menopause.8
Tempeh Nutrition
One cup of tempeh incorporates:
20 g protein
111 mg calcium
266 mg phosphorus
412 mg potassium
3 g polyunsaturated fatty acids
How to make use of Tempeh? Tempeh is normally fried, boiled, steamed or roasted, and is a superb various to animal merchandise in dishes like stews, stir-fries, and noodles. Try this tempeh-inspired Sesame Tempeh Grain Bowl recipe for a scrumptious bowl of brown rice and quite a lot of greens, together with marinated tempeh, topped with tahini ginger dressing. And give tempeh bacon a attempt!
4. Jicama
What is jicama? Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus), often known as yam bean, is a root vegetable that has a crispy texture and candy, starchy style. The juicy, white flesh contained in the jicama root is the one edible a part of your complete plant; its seeds and leaves are poisonous.
What are the well being advantages of jicama? Jicama is wealthy in sure soluble fibers, corresponding to fructooligosaccharides and inulin. Inulin has been proven to enhance blood glucose ranges by slowing the entry of glucose into the bloodstream.9 Some research have discovered that jicama has immunomodulatory exercise and has been linked to lowered danger of colon most cancers.10 One examine discovered that the impact of jicama extract considerably lowered glucose and HgbA1c ranges in mice given the jicama extract in comparison with the management group that was fed a regular weight loss program.10
Jicama Nutrition
One cup of uncooked jicama incorporates:
4 g fiber
195 mg potassium
3 mg vitamin C
16 µg folate
27 IU vitamin A
How to make use of jicama? Jicama is normally eaten as a uncooked vegetable in salads, sandwiches, or crudités; or as yam bean flour. Try this easy, refreshing Radish Jicama Salad with Lemon Cumin Vinaigrette made with crunchy radishes and jicama, topped with a drizzle of olive oil French dressing.
5. Kohlrabi
What is kohlrabi? Kohlrabi is a cruciferous vegetable with edible, leafy stems. It has a thick, pale inexperienced to purple pores and skin, and is pale-yellow on the within. The smaller bulbs are used extra usually in cooking since they’re extra tender and flavorful, however the giant ones will also be used. Learn extra about kohlrabi right here.
What are kohlrabi well being advantages? Kohlrabi juices in each purple pink and inexperienced kohlrabi have been proven to have sturdy antioxidant results, which could be attributed to its excessive vitamin C content material.1 One examine discovered that pink kohlrabi had twice the quantity of phenolic content material (polyphenols) than inexperienced kohlrabi and had vital antioxidant results.2
Kohlbai Nutrition
One cup of uncooked kohlrabi incorporates:
9 g fiber
472 mg potassium
62 mg phosphorus
7 mg vitamin C
49 IU vitamin A
How to make use of kohlrabi? There are quite a lot of methods to eat kohlrabi, corresponding to in contemporary slaws or dips, in soups or stews, in stir-fries or fritters, or just roasted. It will also be boiled, steamed, sautéed, or fried.
For different tips about utilizing plant meals, take a look at these guides:
Main picture: Sesame Tempeh Grain Bowl
Written by Mireille Najjar, Dietetic Intern, with Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN
References
- Warne LGG. 1942. Kohlrabi as a supply of vitamin C. Br Med J. 1:387. DOI: 1136/bmj.1.4237.387.
- Jung et al. Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Green and Red Kohlrabi Cultivars (Brassica oleraceagongylodes). Preventive Nutrition and Food Science 2014; 19(4): 281-290. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3746/pnf.2014.19.4.281
- Chang et al. Gamma-Linolenic Acid Inhibits Inflammatory Responses by Regulating NF-κB and AP-1 Activation in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced RAW 264.7 Macrophages. Inflammation. February 2010,Volume 33, Issue 1, pp 46–57.
- Callaway JC (2004) Hempseed as a dietary useful resource: An overview Euphytica 140: 65–72. doi: 10.1007/s10681-004-4811-6
- Yang Luo, Hong-Xin Cui, An Jia, Shan-Shan Jia, and Ke Yuan, “The Protective Effect of the Total Flavonoids ofAbelmoschus esculentus Flowers on Transient Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Is due to Activation of the Nrf2-ARE Pathway,” Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, vol. 2018, Article ID 8987173, 11 pages, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8987173.
- Zheng, T. Zhao, W. Feng et al., “Purification, characterization and immunomodulating activity of a polysaccharide from flowers ofAbelmoschus esculentus,” Carbohydrate Polymers, vol. 106, pp. 335–342, 2014.
- Irene, T., H. Liem, Keith H. Steinkraus and Ted C. Cronk, 1977. Production of Vitamin B-12 in Tempeh, a Fermented Soybean Food. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, pp: 773-776.
- Furlan et al.Chemical composition of tempeh from soybean cultivars specifically developed for human consumption. Ciênc. Tecnol. Aliment. [online]. 2012, vol.32, n.3, pp.613-620. Epub Aug 07, 2012. ISSN 0101-2061. https://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0101-20612012005000085.
- Yu Okay, Ke MY, Li WH, Zhang SQ, Fang XC. The affect of soluble dietary fibre on gastric emptying, postprandial blood glucose and insulin in sufferers with kind 2 diabetes. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2014; 23(2):210-8.
- Park CJ, Lee H-A, Han J-S. Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) extract will increase insulin sensitivity and regulates hepatic glucose in C57BL/Ksj-db/db mice.Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition. 2016;58(1):56-63. doi:10.3164/jcbn.15-59.