Antioxidant Salad – Recipe for Skin Boosting

Tucking into a wholesome meal has its own joy but do give a thought to the leafy salad that has potential to put you in the pink of health? No doubt, a bowl of salad is green and packed with nutrition but darling it is great for your skin too.

Filled with fiber and antioxidant rich vegetables, salads are a great surprise when it comes to skin-boosting properties. Check out how.

Benefits of Antioxidants in Salad

Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach have antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A and other nutrients such as Lutein and Zeaxanthin that help reduce your risk of cataracts and muscular degeneration.

Red and dark green leafy veggies tend to be higher in antioxidants than lighter colored greens.

Vitamin C is instrumental in making of collagen that aids in joint flexibility, reduces the risk of arthritis and most of all keeps the skin and hair healthy and beautiful.

The Beta-carotene element in Spinach protects against sun damage.

“The best list of antioxidant-rich vegetables is the list of vegetables you’ll actually eat.”

Types of Greens for Antioxidant Salad

Dark leafy greens are packed with vitamins, minerals and carotenoids that act as antioxidants in the body. Here are some of the greens that can be a superfood in itself.

 Green Leaf: Loose leaf it is that is normally used to form a loose bunch.

Red Leaf: This makes the greeny salads and sandwiches colourful. Though they are very high in antioxidants, they have a shorter shelf life.

Spinach: One of the most nutritious vegetables, spinach is rich in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that act as powerful antioxidants to protect cellular structures and DNA.

Asparagus: This herbaceous plant is loaded with nutrients, fiber and antioxidants that help neutralize cell-damaging free radical thereby slowing the aging process.

 Green Bell Peppers: Not only do they reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, they are also high in antioxidants reducing free radical damage.

Brussel Sprouts: They not only come with cholesterol-reducing benefits but they are equally blessed with beta-carotene and manganese mineral properties.

Tips in Making Healthier Salads

Making food is a great stress-buster. So is making a leafy salad. Here are some tips that will make you toss up a healthy, low calorie and nutritious salad:

In order to have a wide variety of colour in a bowl of salad, try to make a different green salad each time. This will make the salad turn out interesting.

There are two types of greens in a salad – baby greens and mature greens. The former are more tender, nutritious and mild in flavour than the latter.

It is a natural tendency in us to put dressings in salads so as to make them delicious and good to look at. However, you should use less of it in order to enjoy the true flavour.