This article will discuss about benefits of eating raw vegetable salad.  Since I started going to the gym I have been very keen to know what I am eating, its nutritional values, and how this could affect my body to grow and heal eventually. When question, comes to eating salads then there is always a concern about whether eating Raw vegetable Salad has any benefits. So this article will talk about how crucial is to eat raw salads, whether it is good or bad to consume.

 

 

Benefits of Eating Raw Vegetable Salad:

Eating salad usually gives benefits to the body and immune system. Eating raw salad is considered healthy due to its high nutritional value and when it's consumed in a cooked form the chances of losing its nutritional value are higher.   Raw salads are generally loaded with fibre, vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, there is always a chance of getting infections when eating raw vegetable salad due to E.Coli and Salmonella if they are not washed/ rinsed properly.   

Leafy greens always take first place in raw salads and I enjoy combining my greens with other vegetables for added benefits. For example, I enjoy taking a smoothie of spinach, carrots, beetroots, sliced apples, and pomegranate with sliced ginger and a pinch of black peppers every morning with my breakfast. Since I have started taking this I have seen the difference in my overall improvement in my energy and concentration level, but this is my personal experience and this could be because of other foods that I eat throughout the day combined with daily exercises. 

According to some research eating raw salads could be good for health but few researchers suggest that cooked salads contain less nutritious values but greater absorption like antioxidants within the body. Additionally, eating raw salads in which ready-to-eat salads are good and could add value to its nutrition but supermarkets are full of other types of raw salad that need to be washed to remove germs from them and are better to cook before eating.  

Careful Consideration before eating Raw salad :

In vegetables, having bacteria is very common that can easily cause diarrhoea and vomiting, and in some cases, they could cause risk to life.

Poor handling of vegetables, lack of hygiene, and use of dirty water could provide a path for viruses to enter inside the vegetables. Norovirus is very common which causes food poisoning. Further, some parasites could come from animals or contaminated water causing stomach pain, fever, and vomiting. 

In the agriculture world using certain chemicals and pesticides are very common throughout the world. Consumption of vegetables which contain pesticides could cause serious damage to our immune

system over the period and in some cases cancer as well. Therefore, proper washing and cooking are important to reduce the impact of pesticides. Along with that, some vegetables when eaten raw such as cassava and bamboo shoots contain a chemical named cyanogenic glycoside which when taken in raw form releases Hydrogen Cynide. Hydrogen cyanide could lead to toxicity so it is important to cook it properly before consuming.

 

Making Healthy Salad

 

Eating raw salad is a healthy option provided you prepare your salad with hygiene and make yourself aware of any chemicals that exist in vegetables naturally which could be toxic to the body in raw form.

 

To make a great salad leafy greens are usually considered the best.  It may surprise you, the type of greens you choose does matter. When we think about nutrients, vitamins and minerals, dark colour greens are the best but light green leafy salad like lettuce has fewer nutrients. However, lettuce provides high fibre which is great for gut health.

 

 

The fibre in lettuce and other greens is the primary health benefit. Generally speaking, salads are high in fibre.  The billions of bacteria that reside in your gut are fed by fibre. The secret to healthy metabolism is also fibre. Fibre is converted into short-chain fatty acids by gut bacteria, which can control inflammation and improve the immune system.

 

Raw salads also include an abundance of other beneficial components, such as antioxidants. Your liver uses antioxidants to eliminate almost all environmental toxins that enter the body. Antioxidants are substances that your liver needs. Your liver requires these antioxidants to pull off this magical trick.
Try chopped fresh fruits, chopped veggies (the darker the better), chopped dried or fresh herbs, and spices for antioxidants. Add proteins next, such as lentils, beans, fish, poultry, tofu, and free-range eggs. Use homemade dressings to keep the calorie count in check.

 Health Benefits of eating Raw vegetable Salad:

In countries like Japan and India, people eat raw vegetables

Eating raw salad and adding greens could make it a perfect source of fibre and eating fibre, and vegetables daily comes with great benefits.

Ø Lower Cholesterol

Ø Weight loss

Ø Prevent Constipation

Ø Lower blood pressure

Ø Reduces the risk of cardiac problems and in some cases helps with certain types of cancer

Ø Provided macro and micronutrients- I add spinach and kale beetroot in my daily raw salad but someone can also add lettuce and watercress as well to gain extra benefits.

Ø Eating raw salad makes you less hungry.

 

Dressing up your salad:

I like mixing dressing into my salad like, black peppers, ginger, and some olive oil. These could add some extra years to your life as suggested by Italian research completed on old age people. Adding honey, cheese, nuts, apple cider vinegar, and seeds provides some extra benefits as well

Avoid Fried Options

Eating salad and adding fried things would not be so healthy for you as they get fried in high temperatures can cause further complications to you. Adding some homemade roasted croutons would be a healthy option for you and could enhance the taste of raw salad as well.

 

Conclusion:

Overall, eating raw vegetable salad has some benefits but this needs careful consideration to avoid infections. I enjoy eating raw vegetable salad every day. The raw vegetable salad could boost a person's immune system, keep a healthy weight due to fibre and enhance hydration by having extra water content. Just adding this to your daily diet could provide enormous health benefits.

 

FAQ:

Q- Can you clean your gut by eating raw salad

A- Salads usually contain polyphenols, which help the growth of good bacteria. So when polyphenols come to the gut, they change the microflora that helps clean the gut by having prebiotic and antimicrobial properties.

Q-   Does eating salads flatten your stomach?

A-   Salads are full of fibre and that fibre helps target belly fat to move faster.

Q-  What not to put in a salad for weight loss?

A-  Any fried items such as croutons, fried onions and chips.

Q- What is the healthiest thing to put in a salad

A-   Greens, kale, spinach, grains like quinoa, rice, buckwheat and bulgur are really good examples to put in a salad. 

Q-  What is not healthy in a salad?

A-  Available salad dressings in the market are full of fat, sodium and extra sugar, so adding them to your salad could increase the calorie intake instead of a healthy salad that becomes a full meal.