What are the garden vegetables to prepare a fresh and tasty winter mixed salad? Which vegetables are good to eat raw to make colorful, diet-friendly, and hunger-satisfying salads? It’s better to avoid buying bagged salads and prefer local and seasonal Italian products. In winter, what does a mixed salad contain?
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These are the recommendations of nutritional consultant Sara Masiero:

“It’s time to make targeted choices and learn that winter salads are great from many points of view. In recent years, the variety of vegetables available for purchase has increased, and it’s good to incorporate them all into our cuisine to enrich the diet.

Let’s talk about the fibers in vegetables. For example, in radicchio and artichokes, we find a good amount of fiber called inulin, which acts as a prebiotic and thus stimulates the growth of good bacteria in our gut, promoting intestinal functionality. Beware, the decomposition of this fiber produces FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) contraindicated for those suffering from irritable bowel.

What are the benefits of raw vegetables?

Raw vegetables retain vitamins, most of which are A – C – E – K. Le vitamins A – E – K are fat-soluble and need a fat source (as the name suggests) to be absorbed, so don’t forget to add a good extra virgin olive oil to your salads. The vitamin C is thermolabile, found in raw vegetables and greatly helps the immune system during winter infections.
In addition to vitamins, raw vegetables contain useful antioxidants, with each color offering a different phytonutrient, so colorful dishes are important in the winter season.
Raw vegetables are rich in water and help with hydration even in the winter season, where it is more difficult to drink.
The optimal choice is to include them at the start of the meal, as they lower the glycemic index of what you will eat afterward.

Chopped raw vegetables should be eaten soon otherwise they lose many of their properties.

If in raw vegetables, vitamins prevail, in cooked vegetables, minerals prevail. Also, cooking degrades the antinutrients contained in some vegetables. Therefore, the optimal choice is to include both in the meal to reach the amount of 200 – 250 g total for a proper balance and fiber quantity.“