Opt for sprouted moong salad over dal vada—here's why
What's the story
Making smarter snack choices can make a huge difference in your diet and overall health. This article highlights the advantages of choosing a sprouted moong salad over the traditional Indian snack, dal vada. Although dal vada is a deep-fried delight loved by many, its nutritional value is far surpassed by a fresh and vibrant sprouted moong salad.
Nutrition
Nutritional comparison
Sprouted moong beans, packed with vitamins, minerals, and proteins, are a nutritional powerhouse. On the other hand, dal vadas, being deep-fried in oil, come with a significant amount of saturated fat. A serving of sprouted moong salad contains less than half the calories compared to dal vadas, making it a healthier and more calorie-conscious choice.
Preparation
Easy to prepare at home
One major advantage sprouted moong salad has over dal vada is convenience. Sprouting moong beans at home is as simple as letting them soak in water and waiting. Making dal vada, however, requires soaking lentils, grinding them into a batter, adding spices, and then deep-frying. The ease of throwing together a sprouted moong salad makes it a go-to choice for a quick, healthy snack.
Versatility
Versatility in recipes
The sprouted moong salad can be tailored to your liking with different dressings and additions (think cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and your favorite herbs). This means you won't get bored of having it regularly in your diet! On the other hand, dal vada doesn't offer much room for creativity. You can't really change up the ingredients or how you prepare it, as it's a traditional recipe.
Affordability
Cost-effective snacking option
If you take affordability into account, sprouted moong salad is the undisputed champion against dal vada. The ingredients needed to create a healthy bowl of sprouted moong salad are significantly cheaper than buying lentils and oil to fry dal vadas. Plus, with no cooking required for the salad (except perhaps a bit of seasoning adjustment or dressing prep if you want), you're saving on energy costs too.
Health benefits
Health benefits beyond weight loss
Besides being low in calories (which helps with weight loss), eating sprouts like moong sprouts has many other health benefits. These include better digestion because of high fiber, improved blood sugar control due to low glycemic index values, and healthier hearts by lowering cholesterol levels. All these benefits are not found in fried snacks like dal vadas, which increase cholesterol and weight gain.