What are the best ways to absorb the nutrition from Sarson Ka Saag?

Abstract

What comes to mind when we hear the word sarson ka saag? A typical punjabi dhaba with jute cot lying in the open and some punjabi style kitchen, right? But what if, sarson ka saag or say mustard greens is much more beyond that. It might be a little difficult for you to believe, but these simple greens could provide you with many nutrients that will not only fulfil the daily requirements but also will fight various diseases like heart problems, high cholesterol, constipation, weak immunity etc. Today in our topic we are going to learn about mustard greens and their health benefits along with different methods to prepare it.

Introduction

Sarson ka saag, also known as mustard greens, is found mainly in northern parts of India. It has a peppery taste and belongs to the Brassica genus of vegetables. It is a very famous dish in Punjab in winters which is usually consumed with makki ki roti (unleavened cornbread) and lassi (yoghurt). To enhance the taste of this dish ghee (clarified butter) or makhan (unprocessed butter) is used. Let's have a look at the benefits of the mustard greens.

Benefits Of Sarson Ka Saag

1. Low In Calories

One of the best benefits of sarson ka saag is that it is low in calories. Along with a great taste and a warming effect this also provides nutrition in a balanced way and contains very less calories. Therefore, if losing weight in this winter is your plan, this could be a brilliant choice.

2. Rich In Iron

Nowadays the problem of anaemia is quite common. This is because of dietary errors and a bad lifestyle. All these factors are responsible for the deficiency of minerals and vitamins in our body. So, opting mustard green would be a good decision as iron is abundant in it.

3. Paces Up Metabolism

In the winters, the metabolism gets slowed down. This happens because we move less in order to avoid cold exposure outside our homes and offices. To some extent it is normal, but feeling lethargic due to slowed down metabolism could be a hindrance in day to day life. Therefore, good food choices should be made and here comes the role of sarso ka saag. It improves the activity of metabolism with the help of minerals, this way you would feel warm and full of energy.

4. Excellent Source Of Fibre

There is no match for natural dietary fibre when it comes to fighting constipation. For those who are on regular laxatives to tackle constipation, mustard greens could be a better and less expensive solution in winters. Therefore it will promote a healthy gut, soft stool formation preventing problems like haemorrhoids, anal fissures, indigestion.

5. Boosts Immunity

Sarson ka saag is rich in many micronutrients like minerals and vitamins. For example iron, calcium, vitamin A, C and K. Vitamin C helps to build a strong immunity and a serving of mustard greens could serve more than one third of vitamin C of daily recommended values. This in turn helps your body to fight several infections. Abundance of vitamin K in mustard greens helps in clotting of blood. Sarson ka saag could fulfil the daily requirement of vitamin K alone. Potassium will also prevent the water retention in the body, therefore mustard greens would be a friend for those who are planning to lose some water waste.

6. Fights Heart Problems

Who does not want a healthy heart. Everybody wishes for a healthy heart, but not everyone takes steps towards this goal. Consumption of high fat foods, sugars, chocolates leads to a rise in cholesterol levels which in turn affects the heart as this cholesterol blocks the arteries supplying the heart. Sarson ka saag has two antioxidants named beta carotene and flavonoids which reduces the chances of heart disease by as much as 15%. Compounds present in mustard greens help in reabsorption of bile acids which leads to low cholesterol levels, hence protecting the heart from atherosclerosis.

Best way to absorb nutrients from mustard green

Though the taste of the saag may be cherished and the nutrients are in abundance in sarson ka saag, there are some steps which must be followed in order to absorb nutrients. To do so one of the best methods that could be opted is cooking sarson ka saag in a clay pot. There are many benefits of cooking mustard greens in a clay pot like it is cost effective as compared to expensive aluminium or stainless steel dishes. The clay used to make clay pots is alkaline in nature, which keeps a balance in food by neutralising the acids present in the food. The distribution of the heat in clay pots is equal throughout the cooking, this allows food to retain its nutritive value to the most. There is one more benefit associated with cooking sarson ka saag in clay pots i.e it requires less oil as compared to other utensils. Therefore the consumption of oil will be less, and nutrients of the mustard greens or any other food will be best absorbed in the body. Food cooked in earthen pots is usually comparatively high in minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium etc.

Some other tips to enhance the taste and better absorption of nutrients of mustard greens

• Add Ginger: This will help in easy digestion of the food and also enhance the taste of the sarson ka saag. It stimulates the secretion of our digestive enzymes and is very helpful for our gut due to its anti-inflammatory to reduce inflammation of the inner lining of the gut.
• Ajwain: It is very beneficial in digestion as this regulates the flow of acid in the stomach. This leads to proper digestion of the food and prevents gas formation, sour belchings, spasmodic pains. It adds taste to the food.

Conclusion

We saw in this article how the sarson ka saag could be beneficial to our health in many ways. It is so amazing to know that food items which are available in our surroundings in abundance and are cheap too, could be playing such an important role in providing healthy nutrition. One such food is sarson ka saag packed with goodness of minerals and vitamins and antioxidants. If we follow the right technique to cook the mustard greens then it might prove a part of a healthy diet in winter.