In this article, we will prepare together a very healthy soup that prevents the development of many chronic diseases.

Moreover, it can prolong our lives.

Why is that?

I will tell you during today’s recipe. 😉

And now, let’s proceed to the recipe and introduce the “guests” of our party.

Shopping list

To make today’s recipe, we need:

• onions – two or three pieces,
• tomatoes – three pieces,
• ginger root (2cm),
• garlic – four cloves.
• Red lentils (dry) – 400 grams.
• Decorative ingredients, which I will mention at the end.
• Salt – one and a half teaspoons,
• hot paprika – one teaspoon,
• curry – one teaspoon.
• Garam masala – one teaspoon.
• Coconut milk – one cup,
• extra virgin olive oil – 4 tablespoons, and…
• 2 liters of water.

I know that you’ve been wondering 😉 Why the above tomatoes all of a sudden?

Lemme’ explain…

Lycopene and its Superpowers

Tomatoes are super rich with lycopene.

Adding products rich in lycopene to our diet is beneficial for our health due to several reasons.

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant and phytonutrient that gives fruits and vegetables their red color, such as tomatoes, watermelon, guava, and pink grapefruit.

Benefits of consuming lycopene-rich foods

1. Antioxidant Properties: Lycopene acts as an antioxidant in the body, helping to neutralize harmful free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells and contribute to chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and aging. By consuming foods high in lycopene, we can help protect our cells from oxidative stress and reduce the risk of these diseases.
2. Heart Health: Lycopene has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. It helps lower blood pressure, reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol oxidation, improves blood vessel function, and decreases inflammation in the arteries. These effects contribute to a healthier cardiovascular system and a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.
3. Cancer Prevention: Lycopene has been extensively studied for its potential role in preventing various types of cancer, including prostate, lung, breast, and digestive tract cancers. It exhibits anti-cancer properties by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells, and preventing the formation of new blood vessels that support tumor growth.
4. Eye Health: Lycopene has shown promising benefits for eye health. It may help protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults. Lycopene’s antioxidant properties help protect the retina and lens from oxidative damage, reducing the risk of AMD and promoting overall eye health.
5. Skin Protection: Lycopene has been found to have photoprotective properties, helping to protect the skin from damage caused by UV radiation from the sun. It can help reduce sunburn, skin redness, and DNA damage caused by excessive sun exposure. Additionally, lycopene’s antioxidant properties contribute to healthy skin by combating oxidative stress and promoting collagen production.

I’m in! Let’s make the soup!

In a pot, we add onions and olive oil.

Remember that this is extra virgin olive oil, so it requires maintaining the appropriate temperature. Simply put, we do it over medium heat. Never too much and never too little. Remember to always find just about the right balance in your life.

Once the onions have become golden brown, we add garlic, salt, paprika, curry, and ginger.

Before I tell you which additional ingredient in this soup has another unique impact on our health, let’s sum up, what we have so far and how we can benefit from it in the long run.

Lycopene, present in tomatoes by 35%, reduces the risk of prostate cancer.

1:0 against that nasty cancer.

Additionally, onions, garlic, and ginger regulate glucose and lipid levels in the blood, which is beneficial for individuals with diabetes.

1:0 against any form of diabetes.
Sounds good? Great!

Let’s get back to cooking.

It’s about that time we add some olive oil and tomatoes.

Read one life-inspiring tweet, then add lentils.

Think about something positive and pour in water. Just about enough to make a nice soup.

Just keep in mind that less is better or else you’ll have to consider adding more of the initial ingredients first in order to keep the proper flavor.

Worrying about us not telling you how much should you add? Life’s too short to worry about such “problems”.

In other words – don’t stress too much about the amounts. Add as much as you like.

Just add “by eye”. Trust us, it’ll be delicious and healthy 😉

While the soup cooks up nicely, let’s talk about one more ingredient which will benefit our bodies tremendously.

It is lentils.

Why?

Lentils are a rich source of plant-based protein, and scientific evidence suggests that substituting animal protein with plant-based protein reduces the risk of many chronic diseases.

This means that plant-based protein should appear more frequently on our table.

At least according to this scientific study.

We cook everything for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, we turn off our stove and add coconut milk while stirring with a spoon.

Our final touchdown should be adding some garam masala in order to enhance the flavor.

Optionally, we can decorate the soup. Depending on individual preferences, it can be herbs, seeds, or flakes.

And there you have it!

Delicious and healthy soup, or should I say “potion”?

Enjoy your meal. 😉🎉