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Tuesday 3 January 2023 locAl
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Veggie Boost

When it comes to veggies the most basic elements
the island certainly offers needed for healthy diges-
a home-grown selection. tion: water and fiber. Sea-
They taste delicious and son: year- round.
have their specific talents Jambo
to boost your immune sys- Family of Okra, also known
tem. Start the day with a as ‘lady’s fingers’: a green
‘batida’ (smoothie) en- flowering plant. Okra be-
riched with a local veggie longs to the same plant
touch or select your restau- family as hibiscus and cot-
rant that offers local vege- ton. A classic favorite dish
table dishes to get the real in Aruba is Sopi di Jambo.
pure taste of it. It has long been favored as
a food for the health-con-
Konkomberchiquito scious. It contains potas-
This is a sort of local squash, sium, vitamin B, vitamin C,
but looks like a cucumber folic acid, and calcium. It’s
with prickly skin. The taste low in calories and has a
however is bitterer than the high dietary fiber content.
cucumber and the vegeta- Recently, a new benefit of
ble is smaller in size but big- including okra in your diet
ger in width. Inside is a soft, is being considered. Okra
fleshy pulp and seeds, just has been suggested to
like the cucumber. Konk- help manage blood sugar
omberchiquito is grown in in cases of type 1, type 2,
the island and used in sal- and gestational diabetes.
ads and ‘stoba’ (stew) or Season: year- round.
on its own in vinegar. The
veggie contains multiple B Bonchi' Cunucu
vitamins, including vitamin A long, small bean, boiled
B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin for a side dish or snack.
B7 (biotin). B vitamins are Long beans have a chewy,
known to help ease feel- crunchy texture–more so
ings of anxiety and buffer than snap beans–and a
some of the damaging ef- flavor reminiscent of the dry
fects of stress. Additionally navy bean or asparagus.
this veggie is rich in two of Besides stir-fry, soups and

salads, the long bean is a miss it. This dish is made of
good choice for stewing, Pompuna pumpkin soup, and pars-
braising (to remain chewy In the endless summer of ley. Pumpkins are rich in
and firm), sautéing, shal- Caribbean living we only flavonoid polyphenolic
low frying, and deep fry- have to concern ourselves antioxidants such as xan-
ing. With cooking, the long with a wet season and a thin, lutein and carotenes
bean’s bean flavor intensi- dry season. Still we do in- and also contain vitamins.
fies. Long beans are low in dulge heavily in the plea- Pumpkin seeds are a good
calories, about 45 calories sures of pumpkin and enjoy source of omega-3 fatty
per cup, and rich in vitamin Caribbean pumpkin reci- acids, vitamins, minerals
A and also contain vitamin pes year round. A popular and proteins. Pumpkins
C and potassium. Season: dish in Aruban restaurants are used to make desserts,
year-round. is Sopa Di Pompuna, don’t breads and soups.q

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