INTRODUCTION

Salads are often considered to be boring or only for individuals who wish to lose weight. However, with a little effort, a salad can be an exciting way to get your daily serving of vegetables and fruits.

Most ingredients in salads are raw and unprocessed, thereby retaining all the vitamins and minerals. Start with dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach or romaine lettuce, as they are more nutritious than iceberg lettuce. Add an assortment of fresh vegetables such as: broccoli, carrots, colorful peppers, beets, cauliflower, purple cabbage and red onions to increase your fiber, vitamin, mineral and antioxidant intake. The more colorful the salad, the more variety of nutrients and particularly cancer- fighting antioxidants it contains. Top your salad with a handful of beans, seeds, nuts and a light dressing. Keep a large salad for everyone to share at the dinner table, and fill half of your plate with a salad. This will help you control the amount of food you eat. Alternatively, add protein such as a piece of baked chicken or fish and turn your salad into a healthy and satisfying meal. Yogurt raita and salsa are other healthy salad dressings.