Nutritional Benefits of Coleslaw

Fruits and vegetables have a lot of nutritional value, and we find various ways to include them in the diet. Coleslaw is a delicious recipe of crunch filled veggies. It is one recipe that combines vegetables, which we would otherwise not eat. Certainly a delightful option to help your diet with healthy nutrition. This simple recipe has cabbage as the main ingredient. Other vegetables like carrots, onions and more are also added. Vegetables and other ingredients like mayonnaise, oil and herbs are also used, and may vary as per the recipe. A healthy coleslaw will not use lots of oil and ingredients high in cholesterol and fat. The dressing is usually light. But for some people, coleslaw is a heavy dollop of creamy fat. We agree, but there are some healthy recipes, that can save the calories and give a lot of benefits, with satisfying your taste buds too. More on the nutritional benefits and calorie content is explained below.

Nutrition and Calories in Coleslaw
Let us talk about the ingredients first, and know the nutrition that you get from them. The major part is cabbage. This vegetable is easily available, it is rich in vitamins and low on calories. Vitamins like A, C, K and E are found in cabbage. Cabbage is a good source of vitamin B9 too. It has a good content of minerals like sulfur, calcium, potassium and iron and is an excellent immunity booster.

Carrots are another ingredient of coleslaw. It is a major source of carotene, which helps in cell renewal. Carrots are rich in vitamins A, K, C and E, and also the B group of vitamins, especially vitamin B6 and B9. Minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous are also found in carrots. Certain compounds found in carrots help the body in maximum consumption of nutrients from the foods that we eat.

The dressing mainly consists of mayonnaise. The ingredients in mayonnaise like eggs, vinegar, lime juice and spice, add nutrition like vitamin E. It also has carbohydrates, fats, sodium and sugar. Mayonnaise is high in fats, so choosing mayonnaise that is high in nutrition like, low fat, cholesterol free, vegetarian mayonnaise can save calories. There are recipes that do not contain mayonnaise. Salt and sugar are also used in the dressing. Sodium in adequate amount should be maintained in the body, but excess of this can be unhealthy. A low salt recipe is the best health option. Sugar too needs to be very less or moderate, it can give energy but also add to the calories.
We have listed the number of calories in basic coleslaw, which is made using mayonnaise, in the following table:

Calories in Coleslaw
Serving	Calories
1 tbsp	6
1 cup	82
100 gm	69

Nutrition in Coleslaw (per serving)
Saturated Fat	3 g
Cholesterol	12 mg
Potassium	14 mg
Sodium	208 mg
Fiber	4 g
Protein	2 g
Sugar	5 g

Let us also take a look at the mineral content in this basic coleslaw recipe. To begin with, it has 22% of vitamin A and 26% vitamin C. It also gives you 2% iron and 2% calcium. To make this healthier, carrots and broccoli can be added. Red cabbage can also be used instead of the regular, it is healthier in nutrition. A no mayonnaise or low yogurt or vinegar dressing can also save the salad from fat. You can use extra virgin olive oil, instead of regular oil and mayonnaise.
Coleslaw is a delicious recipe for all the foods that go well with it as a combination. Nothing wrong with a generous dollop of coleslaw on your platter, but make sure it is not drenched in grease and fat, try a healthier version instead!