Garden your way to better hearing

With spring (now almost officially summer) weather beginning to shine, nothing is better than getting out and planting and maintaining your garden. This year as you plan your bounty, consider these seven food superstars to help sustain healthy hearing.This year as you plan your bounty, consider these food superstars to help sustain healthy hearing.

Do foods help with hearing?

Foods containing nutrients such as magnesium, folate, potassium, omega-3s, and zinc all have health effects that can help protect your ears. These minerals are an essential component of your ear health, according to The National Campaign for Better Hearing. Although consuming these nutrients isn’t a magic remedy to hearing loss alone, they play a vital role in increasing your hearing health.

Suppose we look at pumpkin seeds, for example. These delicious treats make a great snack roasted with a little bit of sea salt and butter. Still, the most valuable benefit is that they’re high in magnesium! In one study, 300 military recruits who received a daily drink containing 167 mg of magnesium were less affected by noise-induced hearing loss than those who were not. “Magnesium status in humans may be one of the factors determining variations in sensitivity to noise-induced hearing loss.”

If you want to support your body and improve your ear health, be sure to plant and eat more of the foods that enhance hearing!

Legumes

Legumes such as beans and peas are high in zinc, a critical mineral that supports your immune system and boosts your hearing. Zinc helps ward off ear infections. Eating enough zinc has also been connected to a decreased probability of developing tinnitus and presbycusis.

Broccoli

This high fiber-containing vegetable is also packed with Vitamin C and folate, which can stop the formation of free radicals in your body, breaking down your cells and resulting in several diseases. Your circulation plays a critical role in your hearing health. Folate can help increase circulation in the body. Proper circulation helps support the inner ear’s hair cells, so, understandably, getting sufficient folate in your diet can help prevent hearing loss.

Blueberries

This great-tasting fruit is jam-packed (no pun intended) with Vitamin C and many other antioxidants that, when combined with Vitamins A and E, and magnesium. This mineral aids in the production of protein, bone, and DNA. It also helps control muscle and nerve operation, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. And one recent study suggests that it might provide some solace from tinnitus. It may even help avert noise-induced hearing loss.

Pumpkins

Plant this fall favorite no earlier than late May for summer for fall harvesting. Freshly gathered pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc and magnesium, which support the immune system and — in an oral-medication form — may help improve tinnitus.

Tomatoes

This garden staple has achieved its place as a fruit to produce. It’s rich in a wealth of nutrients, including potassium. It’s thought that a decline n the levels of fluid inside the inner ear can contribute to hearing loss. However, getting enough potassium can help regulate the fluid in the body.

Asparagus

This vegetable can take time to produce— a few years may pass before the first yield— but, boy-oh-boy, is it worth the wait! It’s delicious, it offers a chance to grow a prized veggie that can be expensive at the store, and provides an additional source of folate

Below are a few of our favorite dishes you can create with the foods mentioned above.

Chicken and Pumpkin Penne

Ingredients

• • 2tbs olive oil
  • 1 brown onion (diced)
  • 3 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 2 chicken thighs (diced)
  • 2 cups butternut pumpkin (chopped,peeled)
  • 1 tbs dried oregano
  • 2 chicken stock cube
  • 1 tbs cornflour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 250 g penne pasta (cooked)

Recipe

In a frying pan, heat the oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 2 mins and then add the chicken and cook until browned all over.
Add the pumpkin and oregano and fry for 5 minutes.
Stir the cornflour and crushed stock cubes into 1 cup of milk. Add to the pan and stir. Gradually add the second cup of milk as the mixture thickens.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir through cooked pasta and serve.

Asparagus with crispy bacon and potato

Ingredients

• • • 2-3 bunches of asparagus
    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • 2 rashers bacon, finely chopped
    • 2 potatoes, peeled and diced

Recipe

Steam or microwave potato pieces until tender, and drain. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, add bacon and potato, and cook for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until crisp and golden.
While the bacon mixture is cooking, steam or microwave asparagus until bright green and just tender.
Arrange asparagus on plates and top with bacon mixture.

Blueberry & Lemon Muffins

Ingredients

• • • • 115 g Flora Buttery
      • 115 g caster sugar
      • 2 eggs
      • 1 tsp vanilla extract
      • 150 ml milk
      • 1 lemon
      • 300 g self-raising flour
      • 1 tsp baking powder
      • 150 g blueberry

Recipe
Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced).
Cream the Flora Buttery and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well.
Mix in the milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Add the flour and baking powder and stir until just combined – don’t worry too much about lumps!
Finally – throw in the blueberries and stir to distribute in the mix.
Divide the mix among 12 muffin cases in a muffin tin (and sprinkle some demerara on top if you wish)—Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Food for thought

Eating healthy is valuable all year round. Consider these hearing health foods this spring/summer to make this season a bountiful one. Planting many of these nutrient-packed foods will spice up your next dinner party and aid in better hearing health. Enjoy a variety of foods with family and friends this season–you’ll be happy you did!