Chomp your way to good health

Whether you want to lose weight, curb excess hunger, flush out waste, detox the body or simply eat healthy, including salad in your diet is a great idea.
Salads are the best way you can provide your body with the micro-nutrients of vitamins and minerals. Though these nutrients are required by the body only in small amounts, it cannot function without them. Most of these vitamins and minerals are destroyed through various cooking methods; thus, a foolproof way to ensure you have no deficiencies is to consume at least two servings of raw vegetables and two to three servings of fruits daily. 

For those on weight-loss programmes, remember: salads can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. They can derail your weight-loss efforts when doused in high-fat, high-calorie dressings. 

Some delicious and nourishing salads

Tangy spinach delight:
Ingredients: Spinach, romaine lettuce, green apple, roasted almonds walnuts
Dressing: Lime, a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper
USP: Excellent source of carotenoids (good for your eyesight), iron (great for energy, stamina and strength), Omega-3 (for heart and brain health) and vitamin C (for glowing skin and vitality). 

Couscous salad:
Ingredients: Boiled couscous, boiled and tender corn kernels, finely-chopped car rots and celery, boiled potato, roasted pine nuts/walnuts
Dressing: Balsamic vinegar
USP: The rich, healthy fats protect the heart and antioxidants improve memory and daily wear and tear. 

Chicken tikka salad
Ingredients: Grilled chicken, rock et leaves, goat cheese cubes, roast ed pine nuts Dressing:Balsamic vinegar. USP: Rich in protein, it helps in growth, repair, and hair and skin rejuvena tion. It is also rich in vitamin C and iron and thus works as an anti-aging agent. 

Green bounty:
Ingredients: Romaine let tuce, iceberg lettuce, aspara gus, mushrooms, orange segments, roasted flaxseed
Dressing: Olive oil
USP: This salad is a rush of antioxidants with heart healthy Omega-3. It cures cold, improves vision and helps in skin repair. 

Beetroot Feta salad:
Ingredients: Boiled beetroot, Feta cheese, rocket leaves, roasted walnuts, hazelnuts Dressing:Lime, salt and pep per. USP: Iron, vitamin E, pro teins, Omega-3 and calcium help build stronger bones and ward off cardiac diseases, hypertension and cancers. 

Fattoush
Ingredients: Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, Feta cheese, olives, roasted croutons Dressing: Olive oil and herbs
USP: Full of lycopene (antioxidant) and folate, it protects the heart and lowers the risk of strokes and cardiovascular diseases. It is a good source of magnesium that helps ward off diabetes by reducing insulin resistance. 

Rainbow on your plate
Ingredients: Red and yellow bell peppers, avocado, romaine lettuce, broccoli, boiled corn
Dressing: Hung curd with crushed basil
USP: The rainbow of colours floods the body with a host of antioxidants boosting immunity, vision and digestion by relieving constipation. 

Caution! While focussing on the nutritional content, you must also make sure the vegetables are washed thoroughly, especially the leafy greens. You can also rinse the veggies with potassium per manganate to ward off germs.

By Pooja Makhija, Consulting Nutritionist & Clinical Dietician