For a Healthy Meal, It's Hard to Beat a Salad
By Paul Rothbart
Eating well and maintaining a healthy weight can be challenging. You have to choose the components of a meal, carefully considering calories and nutritional content. Of course, it's nice if it tastes good too. A meal that covers all of these concerns is the salad. Made up of mostly vegetables, salads are generally low in calories and high in nutrition. They are also extremely versatile. In addition to the plethora of veggies you can include, there are proteins, nuts, and dressings. There are hundreds of recipes available and you can make up a big batch of salad, store it, and have it for a week. About 10 years ago I lost 62 pounds. A big part of my success was due to eating a salad for lunch every day. Let's look at some of the health benefits of salads.
Fiber
An insufficient amount of fiber is a common dietary problem. Salads, with their leafy greens and raw vegetables, are loaded with fiber. This is why they are so filling and can help prevent those extra snacks that add excessive calories. Fiber is also very helpful for reducing bad cholesterol and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Consuming the recommended amounts of fiber daily can also help prevent cancer. This aspect of salads alone makes them one of the best food choices.
Nutrition From Vegetables
Salads are a pleasing blend of many different vegetables. Mixing colors is a good way to go. Get some green, red, yellow, orange. The substances that give vegetables their signature colors are also nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. A diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables has many health benefits. It can lower blood pressure, improve heart health, and help control blood sugar. A vegetable-based diet is also good for eye and digestive health, as well as preventing cancer. A good salad can contain most, if not all, of the recommended allowances of any number of essential nutrients.
Weight Control
As mentioned earlier, salads are very filling. They satisfy hunger but are very low in calories. This is great for control. It can help reduce cravings while keeping daily calorie intake in a healthy range. Nutritionists agree that a salad a day is an excellent way to maintain a healthy weight.
Good health is important and eating well is an essential part of it. Doctors and nutritionists agree that a good diet should be heavy in fresh fruits and vegetables. An excellent way to ensure the consumption of these foods is to eat salads. One final tip: be careful when choosing a dressing. They often contain excess sugar and calories.
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