How To Make A Delicious Salad And The Properties Of Its Components

Experts recommend salads as a side dish throughout the meal. Its multiple varieties, its few calories, and its flavor make it one of the best options for a balanced diet. But it is important to know what products are necessary so that, from a nutritional point of view, the salad that we prepare is as complete as possible.

Throughout the article we will show what ingredients to use and how to combine them to get a nutritious and attractive salad at the same time. Keep in mind that if what you want is to follow a nourishing diet, it is important to go to a specialist for specific advice.

Elements that can not be missing in a salad

If we want to make balanced salads, we must take into account the foods that we are going to add. We have to make sure it is nutritionally complete spoken.

To do this, the ingredients you have to have are the following:

• A green vegetable base : spinach, different types of lettuce or lamb’s lettuce, for example, are some of this type of vegetable that will provide us with a lot of fiber.
• Another source of fiber and iron : Legumes are also a good option to add fiber to this dish. Lentils, in turn, are rich in iron, yes, non-heme iron, which is more difficult to absorb.
• A source of protein : some typical ingredients in salads that provide us with protein are, for example, eggs or tuna. However, we can also use other foods such as turkey, chicken and ham. In the case of wanting to make a vegan salad, tofu is a perfect option to add protein to the dish.
• Carbohydrates : if we are going to take the salad as a single dish, it is important that it be as complete as possible so that it provides us with the necessary energy until the next meal. Therefore, if we add carbohydrates such as pasta or cooked potatoes, we will be able to prepare a perfect salad.

• Fruits, optional source of antioxidants: An optional ingredient that can be included in salads as a source of antioxidants is undoubtedly fruits. Its high content of vitamins and minerals is ideal to complement adequate nutrition.

How do we make a balanced salad?

Here we give you a series of tips to prepare a perfect salad and, above all, balanced and healthy.

1. Take into account the visual aspect

That a salad is nutritionally complete is not always enough, it also has to be rich and look “good. You know what it is said that many times “we eat through the eyes”, so a good presentation and a harmony of colors is essential when preparing a good salad.

We must mix the green of the vegetable base with other colors such as the red of the tomatoes, the purple of the cabbage and, ultimately, any fruit, vegetable or other type of healthy food that can provide an extra color and that fits well on the plate.

2. Drain green vegetables well

Before adding lettuce or any other vegetable to the salad, it must be washed thoroughly and then drained properly.

Lettuces are especially prone to absorbing water. Therefore, if we do not drain it well, we can spoil it. You can drain them using kitchen paper to ensure they are perfect to add to our salad.

3. Combine textures

In addition to combining colors, it is also important to combine different textures. It is always recommended to add something crunchy to the salad, such as nuts or some fruit that provides that texture.

These crunchy ingredients complement perfectly with other softer ones. As a result, we will obtain that perfect texture for the palate.

Likewise, nuts contain important nutrients such as fatty acids, proteins and dietary fiber, being ideal to complement the diet.

4. Mix of flavors

It is important that the flavors of the different ingredients in the salad match and that there are some mild and others stronger.

You can combine aromatic herbs with soft cheeses, or sour fruits with flavors such as nuts or tomato. The contrast, if combined well, can lead to very tasty and nutritious salad dressing.

5. Don’t underestimate the fruits in the salad

Although the most common for many people is to add vegetables, it is increasingly common for this dish to be prepared based on fruit. And, in addition to providing a fresh and tasty flavor, it is also a delicious way to eat fruit in an alternative way to dessert. Pineapple, orange, apple or pear are just some of the routes that we can add to our salads.

Conclution

As you can see, there are many foods that can be mixed to make a delicious salad. Let your imagination flow, and add the ones you like the most. And remember, if you have questions or want to follow a diet, go to a specialist for advice.