Lisa Nicita
The Arizona Republic
May. 5 2008 12:00 am
Don't drench yourself in guilt today for dive-bombing the chips and salsa in honor of Cinco de Mayo.
Okay, feel guilty about the chips. But not the salsa.
The spicy condiment is packed with nutrients. Too bad we can't say the same about the cerveza.
Kezia Frayjo, program manager for the Latino Nutrition Coalition, said most salsas begin with the same basic ingredients: tomatoes, onions, cilantro and chiles. Some store-bought salsas mix in other ingredients, but taken alone, these four mainstays are pretty healthful.
Frayjo held up the Herdez brand as an example of a healthful choice, given its simple ingredients. She said people who view salsa as a dip alone are missing out on its health benefits.
"In traditional Mexican eating, you eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner," Frayjo said. "I use it all the time as a condiment. I rarely use it as a dip."
Use salsa at breakfast as a topper on eggs wrapped in a warm tortilla. Slather salsa on grilled chicken. Use salsa to jazz up brown rice.
Here's why you should: Frayjo said the tomatoes in salsa are packed with antioxidants, which help prevent or repair damage done inside our bodies by free radicals. Onions help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Cilantro contains antioxidants as well as other vitamins. Chiles contain capsaicin, which makes them spicy but also releases endorphins, which have a pain-relieving, even pleasurable, effect on the brain.
"So that makes you happy," Frayjo said. "It also helps relieve common colds. It (a chile) has more vitamin C than the average orange."
But if you happen to catch an extraordinarily spicy bite, don't reach for a glass of water for relief. Frayjo said drinking water doesn't do much to neutralize the spicy effects of the capsaicin in the chiles.
Though it may look silly at a bar, think dairy. Frayjo said dairy-based products, such as milk and yogurt, are best at cooling capsaicin's heat.
Salsa's other uses
Here are ways to incorporate salsa into your diet other than as a dip for a tortilla chip:
• Mix with fat-free refried beans and light sour cream to use as a veggie dip.
• Substitute for ketchup to add zing to meatloaf and other dishes.
• Toss with lettuce as a salad dressing.
• Top a baked potato.
• Use a few tablespoons to add flavor and texture to couscous.
Reach the reporter at lisa.nicita@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8546.
