Oh my! I have been dealing with a nasty cold these past few days. I generally try to avoid using conventional medicine to ‘cure’ myself, as I rather strengthen my immune system through a diet packed with the right nutrients, vitamins and minerals. So, on top of a lot of juicing, leafy greens, and gallons (literally!) of hot ginger/lemon/raw honey teas I have been treating myself with this incredible soup.
Sweet Potatoes are an incredible natural source of beta-carotene and studies confirm their ability to raise our blood level of Vitamin A. They also have great antioxidant properties (recent research has shown that particularly when passing through our digestive tract, sweet potato cyanidins and peonidins and other color-related phytonutrients may be able to lower the potential health risk posed by heavy metals and oxygen radicals. That risk reduction might be important not only for individuals at risk of digestive tract problems but for all persons wanting to reduce the potential risk posed by the presence of heavy metal residues, like small amounts of mercury or cadmium or arsenic in their diet); anti-inflammatory nutrients (reduced inflammation following sweet potato consumption has been shown in brain tissue and nerve tissue throughout the body thanks to the presence of anthocyanin and phytonutrients); antibacterial and antifungal properties (thanks to a related group of glycosides in sweet potato called batatosides and batatins).
Garlic: well, I’m sure we all know how wonderful of a seasoning it is to add aroma and taste to our dishes! But there is a lot more about it to gain with its consumption. Garlic is recognized as a health-supporting food for its cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and antiviral benefits (effective in controlling infection by bacteria and viruses, but also infection from other microbes including yeasts/fungi and worms), and cancer prevention.
And last but not least, Turmeric. This extremely powerful spice has been used in Chinese and Indian medicine for centuries because of its significant anti-inflammatory qualities, to treat a wide variety of conditions. In numerous studies it has been shown curcumin’s effects are comparable to hydrocortisone and other similar drugs, without the toxic side effects. The list of its health benefits is VERY long (seriously!!), so for today we will praise it just for the anti-inflammatory ones, as they are what I’m aiming for with this soup!
This is what I call “my homemade natural antibiotic”. Enjoy it!
Nicole’s SWEET POTATOES GARLIC & TURMERIC SOUP
Gluten free – Dairy Free – Paleo & Vegan (if you skip the cheese) – Clean Eating – Vegetarian – High Fiber – Low Carb – Low Calories Recipe
(2 servings)
Ingredients:
2 large or 3 medium Sweet Potatoes
5-6 peeled Garlic Cloves
1-2 Green Onions
1 Tbsp Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil
2 ½ cups of Water
1 Tbsp Turmeric Paste or Ground
2 Tbsp Organic Full Fat Canned Coconut Milk
Salt (I use Himalayan Salt) & Black Pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese
In a medium pot saute’ the chopped garlic and one green onion with coconut oil for about a minute. Add the sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1.5 in. cubes. Pour the water, add salt (I have a grinder for my salt, I do about 5 cracks, which should be the equivalent of 1 Tsp), stir and cover. Let simmer on low flame for 20-25 minutes. Turn off the flame, let it cool down until ready to pass into the food processor. Pour your soup back into the pot and add the coconut milk (it is recommended to include some fat in your sweet potato-containing meals if you want to enjoy the full beta-carotene benefits of this root vegetable) and turmeric. Stir for few minutes on a low flame to get it nice and hot. Adjust the salt. Serve in a bowl topped with some Parmesan cheese, green onion and a bit of black pepper (most of the curcumin that is ingested gets metabolized before it can get absorbed: black pepper (piperine specifically) is said to help make curcumin more bioavailable).
I recommend you make a big batch of this: it is so delicious you’ll want to go for a second bowl, I guarantee!
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Nicole's Eat Good Feel Good Kitchen 