HEALTH BENEFITS OF SALAD

 

Health benefits of salad

1. A NATURAL SOURCE OF FIBER

Your leafy greens and raw veggies are a superb source of natural fiber, and consuming enough fiber each day has several health advantages:

• Fiber helps to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
• It helps to control blood sugar.
• Adequate fiber intake helps with weight loss and healthy weight maintenance.
• It normalizes bowel movements, and aids in the prevention of bowel disease.
• Proper fiber intake has been shown to reduce the recurrence and prevention of a number of cancers including colorectal, breast, mouth, throat and esophagus (1).
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2. NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

The idea that fresh vegetables and fruits are essential to our good health and well-being isn’t anything we haven’t heard before, but it’s good to be reminded of it every so often. The following quote is from an article at the Harvard School of Public Health:

“A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar which can help keep appetite.

3. LOAD UP ON SALADS FOR WEIGHT CONTROL

Eating a fiber-rich salad before your entree will help you to feel full faster, so you’ll consume less calories than you might when a meal is served without this appetizer. The more raw vegetables you can incorporate into your salad, the greater the potential positive effects will be.

4. A DAILY SALAD WILL AID YOUR INTAKE OF HEALTHY FATS

Add a couple of tablespoons of mixed raw or roasted seeds like pumpkin, sesame, sunflower and ground flax or chia to boost your daily intake of good fats. Experimenting with different kinds of oils in your dressings will help with this, too.

5. BUILD STRONG BONES

Low vitamin K levels have been linked with low bone mineral density in women. For healthy bone growth, a recommended full daily serving can be found in just 1 cup of watercress (100%), radicchio (120%) or spinach (170%).

6. PROTECT YOUR PEEPERS

The carotenoids found in the green leaves like spinach, Romaine and red lettuce help the eyes to adjust from bright to dark, and to filter out high intensity light levels, protecting them from the formation of damaging free radicals.

7. IMPROVE MUSCLE PERFORMANCE

Well, it turns out Popeye knew his stuff. The nutrients found in spinach not only help to build strong bones, they also help to improve the performance of the mitochondria – little structures inside our cells that help to produce energy, as well as inform and power our muscles.

8. PROTECT YOUR HEART

Romaine lettuce contains two key nutrients in significant levels that help to protect the heart muscle: folate and fiber. High levels of folate have been shown to assist in the prevention of stroke and cardiovascular disease