Greens and vegetables should be loved. First, they are the most diverse type of food. From tender spinach, piquant tarragon, and deep, bitter chicory to crunchy peppers, soft, sweet tomatoes, delicate zucchini, and a variety of pumpkins. Second, they are the best food for gut health. Introducing different vegetables and greens (both fresh and cooked) into your diet can improve gut motility in just a few days without interfering with the natural metabolism. This is a crucial aspect of daily nutrition! It's a great habit to start planning each meal around vegetables first. Think about what vegetables and in what form will be part of your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and then decide what else to add to them.
The Importance of Fiber
There are two main types of fiber: soluble (pectin, mucilage) and insoluble (cellulose, hemicellulose). If we simplify things, here's how it works. Soluble fiber "nourishes," lubricates, and improves passage through the digestive tract, while insoluble fiber works like a broom, sweeping away food residues and other digestive byproducts (often referred to as "toxins" or "waste" in popular terms).
Soluble fiber is found in pumpkin, zucchini, dried fruits, apples, plums, grapefruit, and berries. Insoluble fiber is found in leafy greens, vegetables (peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes), whole grains, and flaxseeds.
How to Create the Perfect Salad
The perfect basic salad follows just a few simple rules. It should contain:
- Something green (any leafy greens! There are dozens of varieties, so try different ones each time).
- Something crunchy (cucumber, bell pepper, carrot).
- Something with a distinct sweet or sour taste (tomatoes, pears, grapefruit, avocado).
- Something aromatic (unrefined oil, flavorful vinegar, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, sesame, blue cheese or aged cheese, fragrant herbs like mint, tarragon, or cilantro).
- Something protein-rich (meat/fish/eggs are optional, but also consider blanched broccoli, roasted eggplant, almonds, beans, lentils, or peas).
Salad with Chicory, Radish, Avocado, and Green Pepper with Truffle Oil
- ½ head of chicory or another slightly bitter salad green
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 avocado
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh mint
- 1 medium radish (I prefer pink radish, but in season, it can be substituted with regular radishes)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil
- Truffle oil
- red wine vinegar
Finely chop the salad, dice pepper, radish and avocado. Season with two types of oil, vinegar, salt and freshly ground black Finely chop the salad greens. Dice the bell pepper, radish, and avocado. Dress with both types of oil, vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Finely chop the salad, dice pepper, radish and avocado. Season with two types of oil, vinegar, salt and freshly ground black Finely chop the salad greens. Dice the bell pepper, radish, and avocado. Dress with both types of oil, vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
