Click here to see Pasta Primavera Salad with Vegetables recipe.  It is technically a salad but practically a meal in its own right! The Pasta Primavera Salad with Vegetables is an easy and quick yet sumptuous preparation of cooked fusilli tossed together with crunchy lettuce, fresh and vibrant veggies and a refreshing curd-based dressing with celery and spring onion greens.

Pasta and Vegetable Salad

Is Pasta Primavera Salad with Vegetables healthy?

Yes, this is healthy. But restrictions apply to some.

Let's understand the Ingredients Pasta Primavera Salad with Vegetables.

What's good in Pasta Primavera Salad with Vegetables.

Fusilli: Fusilli is a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates, which provides our bodies with vitamins, minerals and energy. Some of the ingredients used in making the low carbohydrate pastas are soy products, wheat gluten, egg whites, rice flour, and salt. The low-carb products are also higher in protein and fiber than regular pasta. Although pasta is nearly fat free, the sauces and other toppings added to the pasta are what add calories and fat. To maintain the low fat, low calorie advantages of pasta, it is important to keep the sauce low-fat also.

Tomatoes : Tomatoes are extremely rich source of Lycopene. Tomatoes are a powerful antioxidant, super rich in Vitamin C, good for heart. Tomatoes are a Pregnant women's friend and are rich in Folate or Folic Acid which helps your body to produce and maintain new cells, especially red blood cells. Read about 13 amazing benefits of tomatoes.  

Spring Onions : The sulfur compounds in spring onions are known to keep blood pressure under check. Here the sulfur compounds and antioxidant quercetin together help to keep blood sugar levels under control by increasing the production of insulin making it good for Diabetics. Spring onions have also been identified to lower cholesterol levels in the body. The vitamin C also puts you at less risk of heart disease. Being very low in calories and fat and encompassing a basketful of nutrients, they are looked upon as a weight loss vegetable too. See detailed benefits of spring onions. 

Lettuce :  Lettuce is low in calories and aids in Weight Loss.  Being rich in Vitamin C works as an immune building vitamin by way of helping multiply white blood cells (WBC). Lettuce  abounds in Vitamin A – Stops Inflammation and Improves Eyesight. Keeps heart healthy and manages diabetes. Rich in Folic acid,  one such nutrient which a mother-to-be should start building the reserve of much before conception. See benefits of lettuce. 

Broccoli : Broccoli is loaded with beta-carotene which converts to Vitamin A once it is inside the body. Vitamin A plays a critical role in maintaining healthy vision. It is a good source of Vitamin C which boosts the immune system and fights off cancers, heart disease and protects the body from free radical damage. Broccoli is a good source of folate and good for pregnant women. See here for 13 amazing benefits of broccoli.

Curd + Low fat Curds :  Curds help in digestion as it has very good bacteria. Probiotics in curds acts as a mild laxative but, in case of diarrhoea and dysentery, it is a boon, if curd is used with rice. Curd is one of the richest source of protein, calcium and minerals. They help in weight reduction, good for your heart and build immunity. Being low in sodium, it is safe to be eaten by individuals with high blood pressure. The only difference between curds and low fat curds is the fat level. Read the benefits of curds to include in your daily diet. 

Fresh Cream : 1 tbsp of fresh cream (15 gm) provides around 18 calories, out of which 16 calories result from saturated fat. Till late, saturated fat was always looked upon as that evil fat which would lead to high cholesterol levels and strokes. Offhand, studies have revealed no such association. So, the next question that arises is “Are saturated fats healthy then?” What’s more important is to look at your diet in totality. Fats, in reality, will keep you full for long time and avoid bingeing and weight gain. And yes, the body for absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E and K, needs some amounts of fat. 

Celery (Ajmoda) : Celery helps reduce the total blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thus reducing the clogging of arteries and chances of stroke.  Diabetics too can include this vegetable to their diet as its high fiber contribute to maintain healthy levels of blood sugar levels.  Potassium and its active compound phthalides have shown positive effects in controlling blood pressure. See detailed benefits of celery. 

Note : 1 cup = 200 ml (standard cup available in the market). The weight in grams varies for each ingredient. 

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Pasta Primavera Salad with Vegetables?

Yes, this recipe is good for diabetics, heart and weight loss BUT cut the olive oil a bit for diabetics. High protein foods boost your metabolism and aid in weight loss. A whole lot of veggies like tomatoes, spring onions and lettuce adds a dose of antioxidants which helps to reduce inflammation in the body. Vitamin A in Broccoli plays a critical role in maintaining healthy vision. It is a good source of Vitamin C which boosts the immune system and fights off cancers, heart disease and protects the body from free radical damage. Lettuce is low in calories and aids in Weight Loss and abounds in Vitamin A – Stops Inflammation and Improves Eyesight. Keeps heart healthy and manages diabetes. Celery helps reduce the total blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thus reducing the clogging of arteries and chances of stroke.

Can healthy individuals have Pasta Primavera Salad with Vegetables?

Yes, this is good and healthy.

Pasta Primavera Salad with Vegetables is high in

1. Vitamin C :  Vitamin C is a great defence against coughs and colds.

Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How to burn 163 calories that come from Pasta Primavera Salad with Vegetables?

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.