Salad is health on a plate. Whether it is a bean salad, grilled meats or fish and pasta, it is all the same and healthy. Salads are low on oil, high on nutrients and proteins. No salad can be a salad without the ruler of the salad plate, the lettuce. Some way or the other, the lettuce has made a niche for itself as part of the human diet and particularly in salads. Salads are usually served cold, with cut up raw or semi cooked foods, topped with a dressing or nuts.

The health benefits of salads are plenty. For example the romaine lettuce in the salad is packed with nutrients. The romaine lettuce contains vitamins, minerals; phytonutrients and fiber are particularly good for the prevention of many common health complaints. The low-calorie content is the biggest plus about eating salads.

Benefits of Eating Salads

Salad is a union of vegetables and fruits where you may or may not add a dressing. You can add to it bread croutons or nuts as well to make to varied and interesting. Bake the croutons or nuts without instead frying them. Salad is a great appetizer usually eaten at the starting of a meal. Some salads also have in them pasta, meat, cheese, whole grains and fish though green leafy vegetable forms an integral part of salads, due to their crispy nature, bright color and appealing taste. Salad leaves are chopped into small pieces and tossed together to form a tossed salad. Other veggies common in salads are onion, pepper, spring onions, sprouts, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, sweet corn, radish, mushroom, celery and fruits like apples and avocadoes. Other food stuff that can be added are olives, pasta, steaks, boiled potatoes, croutons, beans, cheese, boiled egg, meat and artichoke.

Salad for the heart

The vitamin C and beta carotene content in the lettuce makes the salad a heart-healthy food to consume. The beta-carotene and Vitamin C combined together and prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. When cholesterol becomes oxidized it sticks to the artery walls and forms plaques. When these plaques become too large they block the blood flow and break resulting in a clot that can trigger a heart attack or stroke. The fiber present in lettuce is another big plus. In the colon of the body, the fiber binds to bile salts which aid to remove them from the body. This forces the body to make more bile to help break down cholesterol. This is one of the ways by which cholesterol levels can be controlled.

The folic acid content in the lettuce is as beneficial to the body. Potassium is another important part of the lettuce which is very useful is lowering high blood pressure which can be a cause resulting in heart related ailments. With a mix of folic acid, vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium and fiber, lettuce and salad does contribute significantly to a healthy diet and a healthy heart.

Making the green salad a part of your daily diet is one of the healthiest habits you can get into. If you want to lose weight, eating a big portion of salad before the main meal is a great way to fill up and it is low on calories too.

Automatically you will not have much space left for the main meal and will eat that in moderation leading to less calorie intake and weight loss. Replace the high calorie dressing of mayonnaise and bacon bits with healthier dressing options like vinaigrettes, walnut bits which are a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Make salad a way of life and you will know the benefits yourself.

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