Ashitaba plants are a type of superfood that are incredibly healthy.
Well, technically, all leafy vegetables are healthy. There are the likes of spinach, kale, collard greens, lettuce, escarole and Swiss chard. But for now, let’s focus on ashitaba here as a super food.
Ashitaba leaves are chock-full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. They are linked to lower risk of certain cancers and high cholesterol leading to heart disease. A good recommendation is for you to eat (or drink) an equivalent amount of two cups of ashitaba leaves in a week. You can have it every day in each meal three days in a week. If youβre wondering how to actually meet that, this post is for you. In this article, we will tackle some tips on how to prepare and serve ashitaba for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Ashitaba for Any Meal:Β
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Does your hectic schedule leave you feeling that take-out is your only option? Using a few choice convenience items, such as canned vegetables and fresh ingredients from the nearest local market, you can prepare meals with ashitaba in no time. Get started with these ultra-quick sample ashitaba recipes and tips that your whole family can enjoy.
Ashitaba for Breakfast
A good way to start your day right is to have a cup of ashitaba tea. If you are not into teas, then make yourself an ashitaba smoothie from ashitaba powder. This trendy breakfast drink can fill you with a smug sense of health. Just add a couple handfuls of ashitaba (or about 10 leaves) to your smoothie and it’s good to go!
Ashitaba for Lunch
As an easy choice, salads can be bumped up with raw ashitaba leaves, cooked kale and spinach for nutrition. As naturally sweet fruits, slices of apples can also be added to help to curb your cravings for sweets in a natural way. They have fiber and vitamin C.
You can also opt for a sandwich and instead of lettuce, sneak ashitaba in with scrambled egg or omelet. Eggs have riboflavin, vitamin B12, and phosphorus. They complement the benefits of ashitaba, as this dairy product is a very good source of protein and selenium.
For the soup, you can heat up a canned soup and dose it with ashitaba, escarole and some beans from last nightβs dinner.
Ashitaba for Snacks
For snacks, ashitaba chips may do. But how to do it? Wash the ashitaba leaves and dry them, toss a bit of olive oil and brush the oil onto the dried leaves, sprinkle some salt and roast in a hot oven until crispy.
If you want the tastier kind, plain, low-fat yogurt with ashitaba leaves mixed in sounds great. Using plain yogurt, you can control how much sweetener you add. Also try adding a dash of vanilla or some cinnamon for different flavors. Add a handful of cereal or granola for a heartier snack.
Ashitaba for Dinner
One of the easiest ways to join ashitaba into your dinner is to saute the leaves as a side dish for whatever else youβre having. To make it more palatable, you need to add a bit of garlic, olive oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Set that aside and cook pasta as the main entree.
Any type of pasta will do. Top your pasta later with the sauteed ashitaba and spinach sauce for a healthy and sumptuous dinner on the table!
Wrap Up
As our lives are getting busier with tons of activities throughout the day, preparing for even the simplest meal like breakfast and snacks can feel quite overwhelming. Thankfully, we have accessibility to these simple recipes and a lot more online that can make us cut out junk food for a healthier diet for our self and our family.
Ashitaba might be new to your palate, and you might not like the taste at the start. But give yourself some leeway. After all, anything done with a few tries will get better, easier and quicker to do. Start out with simple ashitaba-inspired dishes. It does not have to be complicated. : )
That food looks delicious π Did you cook that? π
Haha my mom did! π
Curious question here. What does ashitaba taste like? Also, do you also supply the product? π
It tastes bitter. π But you can add other spices and ingredients to lessen its bitterness.
I used to sell the ashitaba plant but got out of stock. Now I sell the ashitaba capsules in bottles. You can click the below link to find out more.
Thanks for this informative blog post.
By the way, what is the tagalog name of ashitaba? Where can I buy that product?
Ashitaba is ashitaba. π You can buy ashitaba capsules from me. Check for the details here: http://www.ashitabaplant.com/2013/04/ashitaba-capsules-get-maximum-nutrition-from-japanese-power-plant.html
I am amazed how there are a lot of varieties you can use Ashintaba for. Great post!
Totally yeah. Thanks! π
Okay after reading about Ashitaba, can you please tell us where we can buy Ashitaba? I was told that it is hard to grow it here in the Philippines and is abundant in Japan. I have gynura precumbenis though, which I thought was ashitaba but not, does it give the same health value as the ashitaba?
They have similar health values as I know. I also have a blog post enumerating their differences. Ashitaba plant is hard to find here. We only have one plant at home for personal use though I sell ashitaba capsules in bottles. If interested, kindly click the link below (notification bar). Thanks.
That pasta dish looks so delicious! And I'm amazed that Ashitaba plant can be used in so many ways especially when it comes to food. π
Yup, ashitaba is just like any other vegetable that you can use for cooking! π
I think ashitaba would be great in Monggo Guisado and pinakbet!
I'd be curious how that would taste like. π But ok lah, seems possibly edible!
Wow, this really got me curious about Ashitaba. It would be great mixed in my favorite dishes.
Hehe ashitaba is a super food that would pique your interest and curiosity. Since it's not abundant yet in the Philippines, you might want to check out its "cousin," the gynura procumbens instead.
Sis, I guess I need to buy this ASHITABA now! I'm checking for the ASHITABA CAPSULES written below here in your post.
Just fill out and submit the order form if you want to grab those. π
Wow, variety tips on how to prepare ashitaba leaves, and it is my first time to heard of it. The pasta out there looks like pesto!
Because they are both greenish yup. π
Ashitaba, hmmm I have to try that out. Sounds and looks healthfully promising.
There's a lot that ashitaba can promise in terms of bringing and promoting good health to your system. You're free to explore the rest of my blog posts. π Thanks for visiting, Ron!
The ashitaba pasta looks very appetizing. I want to try this out! π
Yeah it is! If you're not used to the taste, it would be unappetizing because of its bitterness though. π
I am new to ashitaba and i don't know if i already encounter it or not. It looks promising and healthy.
Hi Tess! I'm sure you will learn more about it in the coming weeks or months. π
I actually didn't know about Ashitaba. Will look for it soon, maybe I can incorporate it to my regular diet π
If you can't find it in the Philippines, try looking out to Japan to get the plant. Else they serve the same benefits in the form of capsules or tea. π
this is indeed a very versatile plant for everyday life! I am actually using spirulina now to put on my food and smoothie haven't seen any ashitaba around
Spirulina is good for the skin, too. It improves age spots, eczema, acne and rashes. Maybe that's why you look so young pa rin. π It's good for the eyes as well, helping with glaucoma.
Sis ang sarap naman nyan. Ako pag after harvest, I make a sandwich spread with it. Masarap naman pero next time try ko gawa ng ashitaba bread
Glad to hear that. π It seems that many people now are more aware of the ashitaba plant.
Hi,
There is no link to click at the end of this post, just want to let you know.
The link you refer to earlier:
http://www.ashitabaplant.com/2013/04/ashitaba-capsules-get-maximum-nutrition.html
does not work anymore
It still works. I tried both web and mobile browsers. I think you had the wrong link (missing some words). Here's the correct one: http://www.ashitabaplant.com/2013/04/ashitaba-capsules-get-maximum-nutrition-from-japanese-power-plant.html Try again. Thanks.
I have not heard of ashitaba before but it looks inviting and healthy as well π You are a health blogger and that is good π
Thanks, Lornajane. Health is wealth so I always want to live a healthy life. π
I bought an ashitaba plant at Manila seedling Bank EDSA corner Quezon Ave. in Novemeber 2013. It grows at a slow pace. I had compared my ashitaba with pictures shown in this post and they matched…the only thing is I could not see the yellow sap (chalcone) but rather tiny liquid spots whenever I cut the stem. I wonder if I bought the correct one. Appreciate very much if you could email the exact address in Sampaloc where I can buy the right one. Tnx
Hi Ariston, please drop me your email address. Thanks!