Archive for September, 2012

Benefits of eating vegan salad

Most people consider salads as a part of their main meal because it keeps them healthy. It is no longer consider as add-on to a meal but it is becoming a wholesome meal in itself. Since salads like carrot, cucumber, onion, tomatoes and cabbage give a bland look, most people opt for vegan salad dressings to make it inviting.

There are several health benefits of eating salads every day. It is one of the healthiest and simplest foot habits to follow. Since the micro nutrients present in the food are variously distributed, it is important that you plan your meals. Eating salads not only helps in increasing fiber intake but it also helps in maintaining the equilibrium of proteins and energy. Salads also help in accomplishing the objective of eating five portions of vegetables and fruits to overcome hidden hunger.

Most salads are highly nutritious as they contain proteins, omega 3, proteins and fibre. Some raw vegetables and fruits also contain anti-oxidants like Vitamin C and Vitamin A that protects against health problems like cancer and heart disease. Salad leaves like lettuce and cabbage are low in calories and contain more than 85 percent water. They also contain several vitamins and minerals like copper, calcium, iron, potassium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Since most fruits and vegetables are rich in fire, they help in lowering cholesterol and reduce constipation.

When preparing vegan salad, you don’t have to add all the possible vegetables and fruits that are available in the marketplace. Even if you add a few fruits and vegetables, you can make a salad that is not only nutritious but also tasty. However, when preparing the salad, it is important that you are aware of combinations you can use. If you use a wrong combination, the salad will be tasteless and may be difficult to eat.

The salad that you prepare will be incomplete if you don’t add dark green leafy vegetables as they contain many powerful nutrients. You can also add chopped walnuts and avocado to make your salad tasty. Most of these ingredients have low saturated fats but are a good source of omega 3 acids.

There are several types of salads you can make depending on the items you choose. Some people only use uncooked fruits and vegetables to prepare their salad while others use cooked vegetables like peas, carrot, potato, cauliflower, rice and spinach to prepare salads.

Even though salads are healthy, it is important that you choose the ingredients of salad with care. For vegan salad dressings you can chose items like spices, herbs, yogurt, vinegar, tomato and lemon juice as they are fat free and healthy. Avoid using cheese and cream to dress up your salad. Also, excessive use of salt can reduce the nutrients of the salad. So choose your toppings wisely when dressing the salad.