Salad days
Wednesday 21 July 2004
As the weather warms up cool crunchy salads are especially inviting. And there are lots of nutritious and tasty salad ingredients to choose from.
It's important to eat plenty of fruit and veg, including salads, because this can help prevent heart disease and some types of cancer, as well as benefiting our general health.
We should try to eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. A dessert bowl of salad is one portion and if you have a big mixed salad containing lots of vegetables, this could count as more than one.
So for a delicious, healthy choice this summer, take the opportunity to mix up some super salads!
Tomatoes
The Spanish carried tomato plants back to Europe, but it took some time for them to be accepted in Spain because it was thought that they were poisonous. Tomatoes make fantastic salads, either on their own with a simple dressing, or mixed with other ingredients. Cherry tomatoes are also delicious roasted in the oven and served warm in a salad.
Nutrition
Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and they contain vitamins A and B, potassium, iron and phosphorus. They also contain a substance called lycopene, which is the pigment that makes tomatoes red. Research suggests that lycopene may help to protect against some diseases, including cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer, such as prostate cancer.
Serving suggestion
Mango, tomato and red onion with a spicy dressing.
Lettuce
Lettuce has been around for thousands of years and not just in the kitchen! In ancient Egypt, lettuce was sacred to the fertility god Min and considered to be a powerful aphrodisiac. But the ancient Greeks and Romans thought it helped you to have a good night’s sleep!
Today, there are literally hundreds of different varieties of lettuce grown throughout the world. Summer is the perfect time to tuck into British-grown varieties such as cos, Webb’s, iceberg and little gem.
Or try loose-leafed lettuces such as lollo rosso or oak leaf. These have a fuller flavour and deeper colour than round lettuces.
Nutrition
All types of lettuce are low in calories and most of them contain vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin C, folate and antioxidant nutrients called carotenoids. The darker varieties tend to contain the most nutrients.
Serving suggestion
Rocket, pear slices and pecan nuts.
Cucumber
The cucumber is another terrific salad vegetable, which people have cultivated for thousands of years. Although cucumbers are available all the year round, the peak crop is from May to August.
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