There was a time when a bowl of salad used to be part of Indian food, to be enjoyed on the side along with dessert and condiments. Now, people substitute their lunch or dinner with salad in order to cut down on calories.

But are weight-fighting powers of salad exaggerated? There’s no clear answer to this question as the salad has its pros and cons. Some nutrition specialists that believe that replacing a meal with a salad is not healthy because salad is not a full meal. It can cause bloating, dullness and in the long run, also mess with your hormones.

It also depends on the kind of meal you are replacing with salad. Clearly, munching on uncooked leaves and raw veggies is much healthier than eating burger and fries for lunch. But a traditional Indian meal comprising roti, rice, vegetables/meat, dahi has an edge over a plate of salad when it comes to providing complete nutrition. While salads are high in fibre, iron, calcium etc., a traditional Indian meal is a balanced meal that offers us benefits of carbohydrates (roti, potatoes, rice) protein (dal, legumes), gut bacteria (dahi, buttermilk) and fat (a golden spot of ghee). In addition, spices like turmeric that are used in preparation of curries are known for their cancer-fighting properties. Ginger, another common ly used spice is a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory that boosts immunity.

So while salad is clearly low on calories and helps in losing weight it cannot match the nutrient wealth of a desi thali.

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