Turmeric Chickpea Soup
Comforting, golden turmeric chickpea soup is a bowl of warmth and cancer-fighting nutrients. The savory broth is flavorful and rich, and will fill you up quickly. It's a welcome addition to a winter meal, and easy enough for a beginner cook. The nourishing soup is also budget friendly, as it's meatless and centered on beans. Beans offer the highest amount of nutrients per dollar you'll find in your supermarket.
The Turmeric Chickpea Soup has added cancer-fighting properties. Among them:
Turmeric spice is made from the turmeric root, and contains curcumin. Small studies have shown potential to fight multiple types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. It also reduces skin irritation in breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, when taken daily. However, it has not demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties in studies, as its reputation suggests. Turmeric is best absorbed when eaten together with black pepper or any fat, such as olive oil.
A small bite of a shiitake mushroom eaten daily for four weeks has been shown to improve immunity in a small study, by reducing inflammation and improving cell function.
Fiber has been shown to reduce many types of cancers. For optimal digestion and health, we need 25 grams of fiber (for women) and 38 grams (for men) every day. Chickpeas have 35 grams in one cup.
This soup takes 30 minutes to cook, and requires only light chopping and a slight mash at the end. Nothing is wasted: use a vegetable brush to clean the vegetables instead of peeling. Keep the celery leaves for flavor, and tie the herbs with a green onion for even more flavor. You don't need to buy broth for this soup; the homemade broth will be flavorful enough.
You can use any combination of herbs. I'm sure culinary professionals may bristle at this, but I believe in using what's on hand. Your herbs don't need to match the vegetables at all times; it's not a fashion show.
A splash of lemon before serving adds brightness to the soup, and offers an extra dose of vitamin C to help fight colds in people with compromised immunity.
