Salad recipes

Simply delicious!

A simple salad with big health credentials: avocados are an excellent source of good fats, and more recently have been shown to also inhibit inflammation when eaten in combination with foods that typically trigger it. They are also a rich source of potassium (which balances sodium to keep blood pressure levels stable) and vitamin E, an important antioxidant.

A highly flavourful warm salad made with mung beans. Mung beans are a superfood rich in minerals such as magnesium, potassium, folic acid, zinc and iron. They are also an excellent source of protein and fibre.

The health benefits of green papaya exceed those of the ripe variety. Raw green papaya is packed with vitamins, enzymes and phytonutrients. It contains vital nutrients including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, E and B. However, perhaps the most important health property of green papaya is its ability to improve digestion and the uptake of nutrients, raising enzyme levels and improving assimilation, and thus also strengthening the immune system. Green papaya contains two of the most powerful plant proteolytic enzymes: papain and chymopapain. These enzymes excel at breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as aiding healthy digestion. Papain can only be found in the papaya fruit and is more effective than pepsin produced by our own stomachs.

Tomatoes are packed with lycopene, an antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease and cancer. They are a good source of vitamin C as well as vitamin E to help protect the body from oxidative damage. Cucumbers provide anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits. Capsicum is a great source of beta-carotene which is an antioxidant and precursor to vitamin A, helping to promote vision and support reproduction, growth as well as a healthy immune system. Olives are antioxidant powerhouses and contain anti-inflammatory compounds, known for their role in preventing coronary artery disease.

As we age our bodies' ability to produce digestive enzymes diminishes. Similarly, cooking foods destroys the majority of digestive enzymes found naturally in foods, compromising our ability to absorb nutrients from the foods we consume. This salad contains papaya and pineapple, which are both loaded with powerful digestive enzymes. Kiwi fruit is a very rich source of vitamin C to boost immunity. Adding organic yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt) to the salad is a great way to take in probiotics and further boost the digestion-enhancing properties of this salad.