Hippocrates once said, “Let food be your medicine”. Eating healthily and providing your body with essential nutrients is crucial to long life and warding off life threatening diseases.

Mushrooms are an incredibly versatile vegetable, lending themselves well to many cuisines. Sauteeing, grilling or substituting them as meat in tacos or veggie burgers makes for delicious mushroom meals! Plus they contain anti-cancer compounds as well as being an excellent source of umami flavor!

Garlic and Onions

Garlic, onions and other members of the Allium family (such as leeks, chives and scallions ) contain naturally occurring plant chemicals thought to help you live longer through reduced heart disease risks, lower blood sugar levels and fighting cancer.

Onions and garlic can also help strengthen your immune system and enhance digestive health by providing natural antibiotics such as allicin, which has been found to attack harmful bacteria responsible for infections that make people sick. Furthermore, onions and garlic may even reduce symptoms associated with bronchitis and the common cold as well as improve sleep quality.

These highly aromatic vegetables can be quite pungent to people with sensitive noses; however, their flavorful and nutritious properties make them essential ingredients in many kitchens and contribute to food’s distinctive aroma; alternatively they can also be eaten raw for additional spice in your meals.

Storage techniques that extend onion, garlic and shallot shelf lives include using containers with optimal air circulation and organization; brown paper bags with holes, markers and paper clips are useful tools in this regard. Furthermore, keeping them cool, dark places with low humidity helps avoid rapid degradation.

Proper storage of onions and garlic can extend their shelf life up to three months, saving money and avoiding spoilage. They should be placed in a cooler, dry location such as a pantry or cupboard to avoid cross-contamination of flavors and moisture levels with other foods like potatoes or tomatoes that might compromise them.

Onions and garlic are versatile ingredients, used in many dishes such as soups, stews, salads and dips as well as toppings for eggs, meats cheeses hummus. You can even use onions and garlic peels to create breads or baked goods using this practice called nose-to-tail cooking which emphasizes using all parts of food sources to maximize nutritional benefits.

Kale and Spinach

Spinach and kale are nutritious leafy greens packed with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Both boast abundant sources of folate – an essential nutrient in creating DNA and breaking down amino acids – which plays an integral part in creating new cells from DNA, as well as protecting pregnant mothers against neural tube defects in babies. Both spinach and kale provide good sources of iron which is necessary for blood cell formation – although kale tends to provide better absorption because its low oxalates content allows your body to absorb this mineral more readily. To maximize these benefits make sure you pair your spinach/kale consumption with foods rich in Vitamin C as this will boost absorption.

Both kale and spinach belong to the cruciferous vegetable family, so both contain cancer-fighting glucosinolates and anthocyanins that provide protection from cancerous growths, as well as being high in fiber content, full of antioxidants such as flavonoids and carotenoids that protect against heart disease, reduce inflammation, and provide other important health benefits.

Dietitians and doctors both recommend adding more vegetables into your diet, especially those high in antioxidants; however, kale or spinach provide many essential nutrients your body needs to ensure longevity. Add them into salads, soups, smoothies or oven-baked chips!

Longevity Spinach has lower net carbs than kale, which is ideal for people following a strict ketogenic diet. As every gram counts when following such an eating plan, keep track of your consumption with an electronic food diary or an automated carb tracking app in order to stay within your daily limit.

Make a delicious side dish or add to meat, chicken or fish for added nutrition – they make an ideal base in soup or noodles too! When roasting greens to retain maximum nutrient density avoid overcooking them as this will destroy their nutrient density; ensure the greens are only just tender; try not overdoing it by overstuffing with olive oil, garlic powder and seasoning them quickly with hot butter or olive oil with lots of garlic cloves for best results and then quickly toss in a hot skillet along with lots of garlic cloves and salt for best results.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is full of healthy fats, antioxidants and other nutrients that contribute to longevity, according to a recent study. Furthermore, those who regularly consume olive oil have a decreased risk of early death.

Though the findings of this research were encouraging, registered dietitian Melissa Azzaro cautions that there may be limitations. For instance, all participants self-reported their diets which could lead to some inaccuracies in results. Still, Azzaro agrees that including olive oil in your diet is an effective way to protect heart health and lower risk factors associated with chronic diseases like diabetes.

Store olive oil in a cool, dark location to minimize exposure to light and heat, helping prevent its oxidation and the subsequent rancid flavor that results. A cooler temperature also ensures your olive oil stays at an appropriate temperature and preserves the integrity of its fats within.

Attract extra-virgin olive oil (EV), as this variety contains more polyphenolic compounds that protect it from oxidation. Furthermore, organic varieties are best because these varieties do not use synthetic pesticides and herbicides during production.

Your olive oil should be stored in a dark location such as a cabinet or pantry in order to reduce light exposure and humidity infiltration. Furthermore, avoid placing it near other hot items like your stove or oven, which may trigger condensation formation that allows moisture into the bottle and leads to faster oxidation processes.

As soon as your olive oil arrives, be sure to store it in an airtight container that’s clean, dry and has an airtight seal. Aim to consume within several months after opening as its phenolics can react negatively with oxygen exposure. For added protection consider keeping it inside a ceramic cruet that blocks air and light.

As with anything, be sure to mark each bottle with its date of purchase so you’re aware when to start using it. Also follow the first-in, first-out (FIFO) principle of consumption: using old olive oil before opening new ones.

Dried Mushrooms

Dried mushrooms add depth and complexity to soups, stews, risottos, pasta sauces and stir-fries. Rehydration and cooking techniques are crucial for achieving maximum umami flavor from dried mushrooms; their nutrients include ergothioneine which protects cells from DNA damage while improving cardiovascular health and digestion as well as helping regulate natural bacteria in your intestine for improved digestive health.

Mushrooms are one of the few foods capable of producing vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, an essential nutrient for bone health and muscle function. Furthermore, mushrooms contain immune-enhancing beta-glucans which fight infection while stimulating immunity.

When selecting dried mushrooms, look for ones with an even coloring and firm texture. Gritty mushrooms can ruin a dish quickly when used in broth or soup; to test for grittyness simply taste one; if grit appears rinse them under cool water immediately.

Rehydrating mushrooms requires a bowl large enough to accommodate their amount. Room temperature or slightly warm water is often preferred as this tends to retain more of their natural flavors than boiling hot water can do. Once the mushrooms have been soaked for their desired amount of time, their liquid can be saved and used as base sauces and soups.

Once rehydrated, mushrooms should be rinsed carefully and drained – this process could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on their variety and quantity.

Conserving the liquid used to soak your mushrooms is crucial, as its full of flavor. Strain it through a paper towel or fine mesh sieve to remove any grit left behind from them and chop according to desired size for incorporation into recipes.

Dry mushrooms can add dimension and flair to a wide range of recipes beyond soups and sauces, including pasta dishes, rice, couscous, and other grains. Plus they make an affordable garnish for meat and poultry dishes! Mushrooms make an economical and versatile ingredient in many meals; when stored properly they can last months or years. To preserve freshness it’s recommended that mushrooms are kept in airtight containers in cool, dark locations, such as your pantry.