Summer is on its way in full swing but to beat the heat of hot summer you can choose salad which is healthy. To cool our body temperature during summertime, one of the best ways is to eat food that soothes the effect of heat. Spicy, oily foods in summer at times tend to interfere with our system that becomes the cause of many ailments. To avoid too much spice and oil during summer, one can switch to healthy alternatives such as salads. It is a dish consisting of a mixture of small pieces of food, usually vegetables or fruit. It has a lot of ingredients that are full of fiber, nutrition, protein and packed with antioxidants.
Salad has many varieties you can add ingredients according to your choice. It has greens, sprouts, fruits, vegetables, and dressing which gives a taste. They are mainly made up of four components—base (lettuce or other green leafy vegetables), body (cheese, tomato, etc), dressing (mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar) and garnishing (parsley, basil, oregano or other herbs). Eating salad once in a meal gives a healthy and balanced diet. It is considered the healthiest food since it contains vegetables and fruits that have anti-oxidant properties and vital nutrients. However, rich dressing can add calories to the body. Hence, low-fat cheese, lean meat/ fish, use of oil such as olive oil will decrease the calorie intake while retaining the goodness of salad.
Many salad ingredients contain vitamin C and vitamin A in the form of antioxidant carotenoids. Vegetables in salads are good sources of insoluble fiber, which keeps your digestive tract healthy. If you add nuts, seeds or beans to the salad, you’ll get a boost of soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol and keeps blood sugar balanced.
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WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF SALAD?
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Natural Source Of Fiber
Leafy greens and raw veggies are a superb source of natural fiber and consuming enough fiber. Proper fiber intake has been shown to reduce the recurrence and prevention of several cancers including colorectal, breast, mouth, throat and esophagus. It helps to control blood sugar.
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Nutritional Benefits Of Fresh Fruits And Vegetables
A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, eating a salad a day will also increase the level of powerful antioxidants in your blood. The basis of any salad, leafy greens, offer a huge nutritional benefit.
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For Weight Control
Salad is full of fiber it will help you to feel full faster, so you’ll consume fewer calories than you might when a meal is served without this appetizer. The raw vegetables in salad give a positive effect. It has a good balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. It is full of flavor and naturally lower in fat.
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Build Strong Bones
For healthy bone growth, Vitamin K is an important element that can get from an easy salad which is quick to prepare and even quicker to eat and it includes spinach, kale, broccoli radicchio, and watercress. Leafy veggies are full of calcium and magnesium which builds the bone.
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Lead to Better Eyesight
The green leafy like spinach, romaine and red Lettuce all contain lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as vitamin A – all of which may improve optical function and keep eyes healthier for longer. It protects them from the formation of damaging free radicals.
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Protect Your Heart
Romaine lettuce contains two key nutrients in significant levels that help to protect the heart muscle: folate and fiber. High levels of folate have been shown to assist in the prevention of stroke and cardiac diseases.
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Improves Skin Tone
The high levels of water found in salad veggies improve hydration in our bodies, which is necessary for youthful skin tone and various basic bodily functions. It has natural sun protective sun effect, protects from wrinkling and sagging the skin can improve dark under-eye circles and make skin smoother.
