Salsa cruda, also known as pico de gallo, is a combination of fresh tomatoes and spicy peppers, such as jalapenos. Different ingredients, spices and seasonings, such as garlic, onion, lime juice and cilantro, are often added to salsa cruda to enhance the taste. Adding salsa cruda to your food will provide you with many different nutrients, as well as offer you some important health benefits. Salsa cruda can be added to Mexican foods, eggs and meat dishes or served with baked tortilla chips for a nutritious snack.
Increases Vegetable Consumption
Adding salsa cruda to recipes and prepared foods can help you reach your five to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables that are recommended for optimal health. Leandris C. Liburd reports in his book, "Diabetes and Health Disparities," that including salsa cruda in your daily diet can help you increase your total intake of beneficial nutrients that come from fresh vegetables. Chop fresh tomatoes and combine with onions, minced garlic and minced jalapeno. Add some torn cilantro leaves and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve over cooked meats or with tacos and burritos as some easy ways to add salsa cruda to your daily menu.
Provides Beneficial Vitamins
Your body relies on many different vitamins and eating salsa cruda on a regular basis can help you increase your consumption of many of these. A 1-cup serving of fresh tomatoes supplies almost 25 mg of vitamin C, 1499 international units of vitamin A and 14 mg of vitamin K. Tomatoes are also a significant source of lutein, which is an important nutrient for your eyesight. Add a jalapeno pepper to your salsa cruda for an additional 16.6 mg of vitamin C and 151 IU of vitamin A. Tomatoes and jalapeno peppers also supply small amounts of several B vitamins.
Supplies Important Minerals
Salsa cruda is also packed with many minerals that support your health. Tomatoes are an impressive source of potassium and including 1 cup of them in your fresh salsa cruda recipe will supply you with 427 mg. One cup of fresh tomatoes also adds 18 mg of calcium, 20 mg of magnesium and small amounts of iron and zinc to your salsa cruda recipe. A jalapeno pepper will add 2 mg of calcium, 2 mg of magnesium and 35 mg of potassium.
Contains Antioxidants
The ingredients in salsa cruda, particularly the tomatoes and jalapenos, supply several different antioxidants. Deborah A. Klein reports in her book, "The 200 Superfoods That Will Save Your Life," that salsa cruda supplies many different health benefits because of the compounds in its ingredients. Spicy peppers supply capsaicin, which aids in digestion and is being studied for use with conditions like arthritis and cancer. If you add onions, you may benefit the health of your heart and may also help lower your cholesterol.
References
- "Diabetes and Health Disparities"; Leandris C. Liburd; 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Tomatoes, Red, Ripe, Raw, Year-Round, Average
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Jalapeno, Raw
- "200 Superfoods That Will Save Your Life"; Deborah A. Klein; 2009
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