5 Reasons You Should Have More Salad and Soup

Soups and salads are considered as digestive, carminative, appetizer, anti-flatulent. Because of their properties, they are becoming an essential part of the diet of the individuals all over the world.

Fresh seasonal vegetables, beans, green gram, black pea, horse gram, herbs, spices etc. are the ingredients used for preparing soup. They are commonly served as starters before lunch or dinner. Both soups and salads have nutritional as well as medicinal benefits. It is prudent to look at the qualities and health benefits instead of looking towards mere taste or caloric values.

Health Benefits of Salad and Soup

1. Helps in Digestion

• Soups and salads can be easily consumed by individuals who have a very weak digestive system. Therefore, they are highly recommended for recuperative purposes.
• Soup prepared from legume such as green gram is easy to digest because it is light, astringent and sweet in nature.
• It helps in digestion by balancing Kapha and Pitta dosha.
• Master Charak recommends green gram as the best of pulses as it is the easiest to digest.
• Moong dal soup has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive properties which makes it an ideal diet.

2. Source of Anti-Oxidants

• Salad and soup are prepared using a variety of seasonal vegetables so these are a combination of various colours such as orange, red, green, purple, deep blue etc.
• They are the rich sources of anti-oxidants and nutrients that help in building immunity.
• Carrots, pumpkins and orange coloured vegetables are packed with beta-carotene which is considered as a powerful anti-oxidant. It reduces oxidative stress on the detox organs such as liver.
• Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene and glutathione that help in fighting free radical damage in the body.

3. Helps in Detoxification

• If the digestion is weak, there is a build of Ama (accumulation of digestive toxins).
• Soups and salads contain high concentration of potassium which flushes out toxins and helps in creating an alkaline environment.
• Asparagus is a diuretic which helps the kidneys to flush out toxins.

4. For Weight Loss

• The soups and salads comprise a great nutritious meal. Vegetable based soups are proven to support weight loss.
• Cabbage when added to soup and salad serves as an excellent source of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is considered as one of the best anti-oxidants.
• It aids in weight loss, reduces the ageing process, prevents free radical formation and useful in skin disorders as well.
• Soups and salads have low glycemic index and packed with fibre.

5. Best in Winters

• In winter season, digestive fire is strongest and the body requires more fuel to stay warm and healthy.
• So, there is a need for more substantial and nutritive diet at this time of the year.
• Warm soups and salads prepared by carrots, radishes and other root vegetables by adding dry ginger, cinnamon encourage strong digestion during winter season.
• Legume soup is also recommended during winter season. Generally, these are good for Kapha dosha but if well spiced and cooked with cow’s ghee do not aggravate Vata dosha in winters.
• According to Ayureda, raw salads are cold, rough in nature as well as hard to digest. Therefore, warm and cooked or steamed salads should be eaten. The best time to take salads is at noon because the digestive fire is maximum at this particular time period.
• Salads and soups should be freshly prepared as the left overs can cause the formation of ama or toxins.

Choice of Ingredients for Salad and Soup According to Doshas

1. Vata balancing ingredients: Carrots, Radishes, Cooked Beets, Cucumber
2. Pitta balancing ingredients: Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower.
3. Kapha balancing ingredients: Broccoli, Amaranth, Brussels Sprouts, Beans
4. For all three doshas: Asparagus

How to Cook Salads and Soups?

• The best method to cook the ingredients on a medium-to-low heat until they are cooked. Don’t overcook them.
• The nutrients in vegetables assimilate and become easier to digest by cooking in medium-to-low heat flame.
• Small amount of cow’s ghee (clarified butter) should be added to soups and salads as it helps in balancing Vata dosha.
• Spices such as black pepper, cumin must also be added as this help in activating the digestive fire and clearing the toxins from the body’s minute channels.
• Always use lemon for dressing instead of vinegar.

Disclaimer:-

This article is not a substitute to the standard Medical Diagnosis or personalized Ayurvedic Treatment! It is intended only for Information!

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