It is one of the most popular dishes in the summer. It can be prepared in many ways and with different ingredients. Here are the useful tips to prepare it without risking gaining weight
In summer, rice salad is a dish very present at the table. It is the ideal "save lunch" and "save dinner" solution when you have little time to cook or you have little desire to do it because of the heat. In fact, it can be prepared in advance and consumed both at home and outside. One of the advantages of rice salad is its versatility. It can be seasoned with always different ingredients that do not bore the palate and ensure a great variety of nutrients. In addition, if prepared with the right ones, it can become a single dish friend of the line and health. "The basic rule to follow to bring a balanced and complete rice salad to the table is to choose recipes that provide the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fiber and good fats," suggests the nutritionist Valentina Schirò, specializing in food science. Let's see in detail with the help of the expert what are the tips to follow to make rice salad a healthier dish.
Choose brown rice
Compared to the white one, brown rice gives more satiety and is richer in valuable nutrients for health. "It has a higher fiber content which slows down gastric emptying and reduces the absorption of sugars, ensuring a more prolonged sense of fullness", says nutritionist Valentina Schirò. It also contains more vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances for the body. «Black rice, for example, brings polyphenols, in particular anthocyanins. These substances have antioxidant properties: they protect the body from damage caused by free radicals, responsible for cellular aging. They also have an anti-inflammatory action. They promote blood circulation and drainage of excess fluids, responsible for swelling .
Pay attention to the cooking method
Many B vitamins of which rice is rich are water soluble and thermolabile. They dissolve in water and are sensitive to high temperatures. The advice to best preserve them and bring a nutrient-rich rice salad to the table suggests the expert "is to opt for absorption cooking in a little water".
Always add colored vegetables
In addition to giving flavor to the dish, fresh and cooked vegetables and fresh vegetables also provide many precious nutrients in season. «The more they are of a different color, the more they allow to increase the vitamin content of the dish. Orange-colored vegetables such as carrots for example, provide beta-carotene, precious for defending the skin from damage from exposure to the sun. Those red in color such as peppers and tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which protects against aging. Blue-violet vegetables like aubergines contain antioxidants, useful for the proper functioning of the circulation. Those green in color like zucchini, on the other hand, are rich in minerals, which promote hydration, "says the nutritionist. But the advantages are also others. "The soluble fiber in which vegetables are rich slows down the transformation of rice starch into sugars and helps to better modulate blood glucose. They therefore give more satiety and reduce the chances of meeting overweight, type 2 diabetes and many other ailments over time .
Use only one protein source
To make rice salad a healthy and balanced single dish, you only need to add one source of protein. «It allows you not to overdo it with fats and calories that weigh on the line and on health and facilitates digestion which is slower in the heat. So yes to fish, white meat (chicken or turkey) or eggs. Ok also to beans, chickpeas and other varieties of legumes or to low-fat dairy products such as classic mozzarella or ricotta ", suggests the expert.
Season it with extra virgin olive oil
"Thanks to its wealth of monounsaturated fatty acids, extra virgin olive oil makes the dish more satiating. Slows down the emptying of the stomach and lowers the glycemic load. In addition, the "good" fats it contains facilitate the absorption of vitamin E, of which it is particularly rich, which has a good antioxidant action, "says the expert. "The ideal to ensure all its benefits is to choose a cold-pressed oil and add it raw just before consuming it. In fact, air and light tend to oxidize them. "
In the gallery, the other tips from the expert to make rice salad healthier
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