Is Green Papaya salad good for you?

Have you ever wondered “Does eating papaya salad help you reduce the reduction?” Because papaya salad is a low calorie food. It is also delicious. 

 Traditionally made with grated green papaya, cooked and cooled string beans, dried shrimp, roasted peanuts, tamarind and lime juice, tomatoes, sugar cane paste or palm sugar and fish sauce, garlic and chiles, som tam is also known as Thai green papaya salad. A typical 1-cup serving of homemade som tam is low in calories and fat while providing protein, carbohydrates and essential vitamins.

Saturated Fat-Free 

Each 1-cup portion of som tam contains about 97 calories, with 1.8 grams of total fat contributing 16.2 calories (about 17 percent of the total caloric intake). Som tam contains very little saturated fat because it is made with only a modest amount of dried shrimp. Pork or crab-based variations may have more. The typical salad has 3.5 milligrams of cholesterol per serving, or 1% of the 300 milligram daily maximum suggested by the American Heart Association for healthy persons.

High in Sugars

Every cup of a homemade version of som tam contains approximately 19.4 grams of carbohydrates, or about 80 percent of the dish’s total calories.Of this amount, 12.9 grams are supplied by simple sugars, as much sugar as you would obtain from 1 cup of reduced-fat milk or one whole, medium-sized baked sweet potato. Som tam has 2.9 grams of fibre per serving, an amount that provides over 10 percent of the recommended daily intake of fibre for women 19 to 30 years old and 8.5 percent of the requirement for men in the same age group.

Source of Protein

The average adult woman needs 46 grams of protein daily, and a man needs 56 grams per day. With 3 grams of protein in each cup, a serving of som tam would provide 6.5 percent of a woman’s needs each day and 5.3 grams of a man’s. The bulk of the protein in traditionally prepared som tam is contributed by nuts and seafood, both of which are recommended by the Harvard School of Public Medicine as healthy protein alternatives compared to red meats like beef or pork.

Rich in Vitamin C

The green papaya that is the primary ingredient in som tam is rich in vitamin C. Each cup of raw green papaya contains approximately 85 milligrams of vitamin C, supplying 94 percent of the 90-milligram daily requirement for men and over 100 percent of a woman’s 75-milligrams recommended daily allowance. The vitamin C content of foods like papaya decreases the longer it is exposed to light, air and heat. To get the maximum amount of the nutrient, prepare som tam only just before you plan to serve the salad.

This bright and spicy Thai papaya salad packs a flavorful punch, and makes anything you serve it with sing. Papaya is an amazing source of vitamins C, B, folate, flavonoids, potassium, magnesium, and carotenes. It also bolsters your digestion with special enzymes, and supplies healthy fibre. Spicy peppers are full of capsaicin, which gives them their spicy flavour, and also boosts your metabolism. Make up a big batch of this flavorful salad, and enjoy all the healthy benefits!

Total Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 2 limes, quartered
• 2 jalapenos, or 2 fresh Thai chilies (de-seeded to your own spice preference), chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar, coconut sugar, or honey
• 1 small handful cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 large papaya, peeled, de-seeded, and shredded or thinly sliced and chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Cashews, peanuts, or almonds, chopped, to serve (optional)

Directions:

1. Using a mortar and pestle, combine the limes, jalapenos, garlic, and brown sugar. Crush and work these ingredients together until well combined, but not totally pulverised. Add the tomatoes, and crush slightly. Season to taste with a pinch of salt.
2. In a large bowl, add the shredded papaya, and pour over the lime mix. Toss well to combine. Check the seasonings, adding more lime juice or salt as needed.
3. To serve, garnish the salad with chopped nuts, and serve alongside some steamed rice or cooked protein of your choice. Enjoy!

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