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If you have a spicier palette, you might already have the natural inclination to top everything with salsa and hot sauce. And nutritionists would say that’s a great thing! From immune-boosting to cancer fighting (and not to mention, metabolism-boosting) salsa has so many health qualities. Here’s what the experts told us:
READ MORE: The One Metabolism-Boosting Topping You Should Put On EVERYTHING For Weight Loss
“Salsa is a low-calorie addition to meals and snacks,” Becky Kerkenbush, MS, RD-AP, CSG, CD, FAND, of the Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics tells us. “Add it to tacos, top your baked potatoes with it instead of sour cream, combine it with chips for a snack, cover your eggs in the morning for a nutrient-packed breakfast, or smother your burger or burrito with it for a kick. You can also use it in place of ketchup on top of meatloaf and add it to stuffed peppers.
“Salsa typically includes tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and jalapenos. These ingredients provide antioxidants, Vitamin C and fiber. Vitamin C may increase iron absorption, decrease blood pressure, boost immunity, reduce the risk for chronic disease and plays a role in wound healing. Fiber can help manage blood sugars, reduce cholesterol levels, aid with satiety and promote good bowel health.”
“Salsa is a delicious and nutrient rich ingredient that can enhance the flavor of many recipes,” nutritionist Lisa Richards of The Candida Diet. “Adding salsa to a wide variety of dishes can increase the amount of nutrients and variety of foods an individual typically eats by improving their flavor and texture.”
"Salsa is rich in vitamin C, which is known to improve immune function," Lisa continues. "Salsa that contains jalapenos is rich in capsaicin, which boosts metabolism and encourages weight loss. Most importantly, because salsa is a low calorie food it can be added to almost any recipe without significantly increasing its calories."
"Fiber is usually present in the plants' cell wall, so salsa is made of fiber but no fat or sugar," Dr. Vikram Tarugu of Detox of South Florida. "This is a winning combo for anyone with type 2 diabetes who seeks to add flavor to their food without increasing their sugar in the blood. After we eat fiber helps us feel satisfied, and it won't trigger a release of insulin from the body."
"Salsa is more than a delicious, mouthwatering condiment - it's a combination of healthy ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, lime juice, garlic, hot peppers, cilantro, coriander. You know what this means - a chockfull of nutrients," registered dietitian Sofia Norton of Kiss My Keto tells us.
"Salsa offers these amazing benefits: weight loss (being low in calories, salsa helps support your weight loss goals); immune system booster (the vitamin c content of salsa helps prevent flu and help your body recover!); and cancer fighting potential (hot peppers contain capsaicin, its active component that can kill cancer cells)" she tells us.
So--there you have it! More than enough reasons to start putting salsa on all your favorite dishes.
