Dishes with nutrient value
WITH people becoming more health conscious, several restaurants have started introducing dishes with healthy ingredients like kale, beetroot and quinoa.
Experts say these dishes offer wholesome goodness because they are not just good in nutrient value, but also taste good.
Rajesh Sawhney, the cofounder of Healthie.in, and Rajiv Kumar, the chief executive officer of Culinate, have listed the following healthy ingredients that restaurants and cafés have started using:
■ Quinoa is a seed that belongs to the spinach/chard family, which is why it is called a pseudo-cereal or pseudo-grain. Quinoa is rich in protein and a lot of other vital nutrients such as magnesium, dietary fibre and vitamin B. It is also a good source of antioxidants called flavonoids and is a healthy alternative to rice.
■ Kale is high in fibre, low on calories and has zero fat. It is one of the most common ingredients in the healthy dishes prepared by restaurants. Apart from being highly nutritious, kale is also high in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It can be added to pasta, green smoothies or simply tossed in a salad.
■ Chia seeds are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, antioxidants, iron, and calcium. A 28g serving of chia seeds contains 5.6g of protein. Hence, they make it on the menu of most healthy food restaurants. These seeds can be added to smoothies, oatmeal or yoghurt.
■ Nuts are often counted as good fats and are also rich in fibre and Omega-3. Plant sterols are a substance present in nuts that helps in lowering cholesterol levels. Nuts are a great source of L-arginine, which makes the artery walls more flexible and less prone to blood clots that can block blood flow. You can make a nutty trail mix and simply munch on nuts in between meals or add them to your stir-fry.
■ Activated charcoal is a natural ingredient that helps to flush out toxins from the body. It not only helps in the detoxification of the body, but also helps in digestive cleansing by alleviating problems like gas and bloating. Activated charcoal also helps in fighting the signs of ageing. Healthy restaurants incorporate activated charcoal in their healthy drinks, breads and buns used for their special sandwiches and burgers.
■ Beetroot contains valuable nutrients that may help lower blood pressure, fight cancer and inflammation, boost stamina, and support detoxification. It is an amazing source of iron, but is often ignored because of its peculiar taste. Beetroot can be added to salads, smoothies or even add beetroot to your chapati dough to get that much-needed iron intake. – IANS