What are the Benefits of Eating Salads?
Many people know that having a salad can be a healthy choice, especially if you are focused on clean eating. But what makes having a salad so beneficial to your health? Here, Circle Café in Dubai explores that question, helping you see what healthy salads can do for you.
Healthy Salads Help You Get Enough Fruits and Vegetables
Some people struggle with eating enough fruits and vegetables to maintain a healthy diet. Having a fresh salad daily can make it easy to get all the servings you need, supporting a clean eating lifestyle.
Dark leafy greens and brightly colored vegetables ensure you get a range of vitamins and minerals, helping you to maintain a healthy body and mind. They are also loaded with antioxidants, essential chemicals in the fight against cancer-causing free radicals. To get the most benefit, try to keep most ingredients in their raw form. These pack the biggest punch when creating a truly healthy salad; they’re full of flavor and satisfying crunch.
Vegetable and Fruit Salads are Full of Fiber
Fiber is a beautiful thing; it helps you feel full longer and can provide a range of health benefits. For example, a fiber-rich diet can help alleviate and prevent constipation and lower cholesterol. It can also make it easier to maintain healthy body weight, reducing your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. Your blood sugar levels may also stay even, helping to prevent cravings for sugary foods.
Healthy Salads Cut Calorie Consumption
Adding a healthy salad to every meal can be an excellent way to go for people interested in losing weight. As mentioned before, a salad contains valuable fiber, which helps you feel full and satisfied. And, if you start a meal with a salad, you’ll have less room for higher-calorie options that form the rest of the meal.
Dark, leafy greens are very nutrient-dense, providing a lot of nutrition with a limited number of calories. A salad with a large serving of spinach, kale or Romaine creates a strong foundation for weight loss. Just make sure to use higher-calorie options sparingly. Cheese, nuts and dressings can add a lot of calories quickly, so use enough to get a sense of the flavor and texture and stop there. However, many other fruits and vegetables can make a salad exciting and satiating without allowing you to pack on the pounds, so explore your clean eating options and choose items that leave you feeling satisfied.
You’ll Get Access to Good Fats
While salad ingredients can contain fats, most of them are of the healthier varieties than you find in items like meat. For example, olive oil, nuts and avocados all have fat but of the monounsaturated variety. These help you feel more satisfied and ensure your body can absorb other vital nutrients found in fruits and vegetables more effectively.
Certain vitamins are fat-soluble, meaning they need fat to be present to aid absorption. Vitamins A, D, E and K all fall into this category, so you need to consume an appropriate amount of healthy fat, like omega-3, to ensure these vitamins make it to critical body systems.
A Salad Provides Water
Some people are surprised to hear that fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of water. Watermelon and strawberries are around 92% water, while cucumber and certain lettuces are a startling 96% water. Eating a combination of vegetables and fruits with high water content can help you stay hydrated even if you don’t have the opportunity to grab a glass of water to drink. Plus, the water consumption from foods does count towards your daily needs. So, if you aren’t getting multiple glasses of water during the day, choosing a salad can help make up for it. Other fruits and vegetables with high water content include grapefruit, peaches, oranges, tomatoes, spinach and broccoli.
Salads Can Cool You Down
The cool ingredients can help you feel refreshed during the summer heat, whether it is a traditional lettuce-based version or a fruit salad. Often, as temperatures rise, hot meals become less appealing. But consuming healthy ingredients is critical all year round if you want to maintain optimal health.
When looking for the best salad to beat the heat, look for ingredients like dark, leafy greens, citrus fruits and refreshing vinaigrettes. A slightly tart flavor can make you feel rejuvenated, while fiber-rich vegetables ensure you’ll feel full. If you want to add protein, look for lighter options like grilled chicken or salmon, as they won’t weigh you down as red meats can. Plus, those options also have fewer calories, helping you stay trim.
How to Make a Healthier Salad
Add protein. Adding some lean protein can help you feel fuller for longer. Add fish, egg or skinless poultry to your salad. Nuts like almonds and walnuts increase protein and add healthy fats.
Add other vegetables. Salad leaves aren’t the only vegetables that can go into a salad. Roasted beets and squash add some sweetness. Raw carrots and cucumbers add crunch.
Watch your dressing. However healthy your salad may be, dressing can add extra calories and fat. Adding some fat to your salad can help your body absorb the nutrients better. But try not to add more than two tablespoons of dressing. Choose a vinaigrette instead of a creamy dressing.
We will start you with a healthy anti-inflammatory Italian Chopped Salad. Note that if you are not a fan of Brussels Sprouts or Kale, there is a lettuce option in the Notes of the recipe. If you want more salad ideas, visit our Salads and Dressings Pinterest board. Or go to our Blog and click on the Salads tab.
Italian Chopped Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1-2 tsp honey to taste
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 tsp dijon mustard or to taste
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts or Kale see note below for lettuce options
- 6 oz Genoa or turkey salami thinly sliced and halved or julienned
- 1 ½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- ½ cup Kalamata or black olives pitted and sliced
- ¼ cup pepperoncini sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced or diced
- ¼ cup parmesan or provolone cheese (optional) shaved or shredded
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients until well blended.
- If using Brussels sprouts, trim the ends and remove the outer leaves. If using Kale, remove the leaves from the stems. If using lettuce, see the note at the bottom of the recipe.
- In a food processor use the slicing attachment or a knife pulse or slice the Brussels sprouts until thinly sliced. If using Kale finely chop with a knife.
- Place thinly sliced Brussels sprouts or Kale into a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the sliced greens and use tongs to toss and coat them in the dressing. Allow to sit in the dressing marinade for about 30 minutes.
- While the greens are marinating, chop and prep the remaining salad ingredients.
- Add salad ingredients to the marinated greens and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
If you’re interested in an anti-inflammatory lifestyle and more information and recipes like this, check out The Official Anti-Inflammatory Diet Masterclass. Or email us at info@vitalityconsultantsllc.com for more details.
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