Are you a die-hard for salads? Well, it’s not kachumbari without onions, tomatoes, green peppers, lemon, and coriander. The beauty about this type of salad is that one can still incorporate some fruits such as avocado, watermelon, and so forth, depending on the meal they are taking at the moment. The taste and aroma that comes with this combination is amazing. The good thing is that kachumbari comes with lots of benefits, therefore recommended for people to consume on regular basis. Basically, kachumbari is an uncooked fresh chopped tomato, chili peppers, and onion salad dish, sprinkle with lemon and a pinch of salt. Although one can still add other types of salad depending on their choice. Rene Tabaro, a nutritionist at King Faisal Hospital says kachumbari is either served as the smallest portion of the meal locally and sometimes people tend to totally ignore it, yet it’s beneficial to one’s health. He says that kachumbari mixed with a variety of other salads and fruits shouldn’t be eaten only alongside other meals, instead, people should make a habit of starting their meals with a bowl of salad. This, he says comes with lots of health benefits including aiding in weight loss. “This is so because salads are low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in other nutrients. Fiber helps you feel full and you go easy on the rest of your meal,” he says. In addition, he says eating high-fiber salad aids in lowering cholesterol and is also known to prevent constipation. Meanwhile, Tabaro points out that sprinkling healthy oil like olive oil on your salad is essential as it helps the body absorb protective phytochemicals (known to protect against cancer and heart disease). To balance it with proper carbohydrates and proteins to make it a whole meal, Tabaro advises that one should add brown rice or protein, chicken as well as tofu among other healthy dishes. “People, who do not like to eat fruits, can go for salads which combine fruits and vegetables and eat it as a whole meal or an in-between snack. This provides powerful antioxidants which protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals,” he says. Besides, nutritionists affirm that salads are known to be rich in Vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K cannot be absorbed and used by the body without the presence of some fat. Besides, adding medicinal herbs like basil, garlic, lemon juice, or parsley to the salad for that strong punch of flavor and loads of disease-fighting antioxidants. It has also been established that the more flavorful your salad is naturally, the fewer high-calorie ingredients you will need to add for a taste like extra cheese and cream. Meanwhile, it’s also advised that one packs their kachumbari with as many other veggies or fruits as possible to get the synergetic effects. For instance, carrots, cucumbers, different colored peppers, broccoli, peas, and artichokes; strawberries are great choices to get in different textures as well as plenty of filling fiber.
