Moneycontrol News | June 8, 2024
By incorporating a variety of vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats, you can create delicious salads that are as satisfying as they are healthy. The high water content owing to veggies keeps the salad light on the stomach, making it an ideal meal for the season
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A good salad can be a delightful side dish or a healthy meal to perk you up during a busy day. It can even be a good choice for dinner, especially when paired with French fries
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Salads can be packed with vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and proteins, providing essential vitamins and minerals. Many salad ingredients like cucumbers, tomatoes, and leafy greens have high water content, helping you stay hydrated in the summer heat
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Salads are typically lower in calories while being high in volume, making them filling without being heavy. Adding ingredients like chicken, tofu, beans, or nuts ensures that the salad is rich in protein, essential for muscle repair and overall health
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Use a mix of leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula, romaine) for a nutrient-packed base. Include a variety of colourful vegetables (bell peppers, carrots, radishes, tomatoes) for different vitamins and minerals
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For animal protein, add grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, hard-boiled eggs, or lean turkey. And, for vegetarians, use plant proteins like tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, black beans, quinoa, lentils, or edamame
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Top it with dairy proteins like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or cheese (feta, mozzarella, goat cheese). Add a crunch with avocados, nuts (almonds, walnuts), seeds (chia, flax, pumpkin), and olive oil
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Add cooked quinoa, farro, barley, or brown rice to increase fibre and protein content. Use fresh herbs like basil, mint, cilantro, citrus zest (lemon, lime, orange), and spices (cumin, paprika, chili flakes) to enhance flavours without adding extra calories
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Add your own dressings using healthy ingredients like olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Greek yogurt, or tahini. Avoid store-bought dressings that can be high in sugars and unhealthy fats
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