This tuna freekeh salad is an eye-catching healthy and hearty meal that’s delicious, low GI and nutritionally dense. It has a wonderful contrast of textures & flavour and is great all year round.

Tuna will add ‘haem iron’ which helps your body transport oxygen properly

Ashleigh Feltham (MNutrDiet)

A salad to add not only variety but a new taste sensation and health benefits too! The star of this salad is the Safcol Tuna in Springwater because it is a good source of healthy omega 3 fat and protein. Both will help you stay fuller for longer, not like some salads which can leave you feeling unsatisfied and still hungry.

The omega 3 fat may also help reduce your waist circumference and help you maintain a healthy weight as well, it also helps to keep your brain, heart and arteries functioning optimally. ‘Haem iron’ is the animal form of iron which is the best kind and best absorbed by your body compared to plant-based iron called ‘non-haem iron’. Tuna will add ‘haem iron’ which helps your body transport oxygen properly. Iron is also key to make neurotransmitters in your brain.

A salad is incomplete without vegetables. Key nutrition benefits to mention are vitamin A and K in the Broccolini. Vitamin A helps support optimal eyesight and immune function and vitamin K helps to keep your bones strong and helps your blood to clot normally. Adding to the immune support is the onion and garlic which have their own unique antioxidants. The Dijon mustard also has its own range of antioxidants which help to fight off free radicals which can cause damage and disease to the cells of your body.  The lemon is a great way to add taste without added sugar and salt, this fruit also has vitamin C which is essential in creating collagen. Collagen is needed for youthful skin and strong ligaments and tendons.

Wheat freekeh is a good choice as a low glycemic index grain, this is due to its slow release of sugar into the blood. It is also a good source of protein, fibre and vitamins and minerals. Adding to the protein already in the salad is the chickpeas which are also a good source of a type of fibre which feeds the good bacteria in your gut which keep you healthy.  The chilli may make you sweat a bit and may boost your metabolism for a short period of time. Finally, the extra virgin olive oil will help your cholesterol levels stay in healthy ranges and adds over 36 different antioxidants too! If it’s time for a change in your salad choices, make sure you give this one a try.

This nutritional information has been created using the foodstandards.gov.au online tool. While every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, it should be considered a guide only.