Leftover Rice Salad: A Natural Energy Boosting Power food

Boost your energy levels with this easy to make rice salad made with energy boosting ingredients easy to find in your kitchen and garden. To keep up the energy boosting power of this rice salad you need to use fresh herbs rather than dry substitutes which have been depleted of essential vitamins and flavour.

The best part about this salad is that you can make it in only a few minutes with left over rice. There is no major preparation and you can make it in large quantities and refrigerate for later use. The salad is so full of energy that a normal adult portion will leave you satisfied for the day while boosting up your energy levels.

This Energy boosting power food works because the ingredients have been carefully chosen to enhance each other mutually helping to absorb the vitamins and nutrients in each of them.

The Rice being rich in carbohydrates provides fast and instant energy because it stabilizes blood sugar levels. As well as a good source of energy, rice is rich in vitamin B1, vitamin D and minerals like niacin, iron and riboflavin. Vitamin B1 is important to facilitate the transformation in energy of the foods we eat and it also has an important role in the nervous system, therefore being an excellent source of energy to combat mental fatigue.

I choose to add parsley to this energy boosting salad because of its content in two vital nutrients that are also important for the prevention of many diseases: vitamin C and vitamin A

Parsley is also an excellent source off vitamin K, iron and folic acid, one of the most important B vitamins. The fact that parsley is rich in vitamin C means that it helps the absorption of other nutrients like iron and calcium.

Warning: Excessive consumption of parsley should be avoided by pregnant women

I used Chives on this salad because of their content of vitamin K (8% of daily recommended amount per serving) and for its content on vitamins A and C (3% each).

Chives are also a good source of calcium and magnesium, essential to prevent the lowering of physical and mental energy.

Chives are reported to have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system

Finally, to help the absorption of nutrients I added a handful of cashew nuts rich in good fats and copper which facilitates the absorption of iron and enables the body to use the energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. .

Cashews are also a source of manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. Magnesium, by balancing calcium, helps regulate nerve and muscle tone.

Cashew nuts should be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Because the delicate nutty flavour unique to sesame oil can boost the flavour of any simple dish. Sesame oil is also rich in minerals like magnesium, zinc and iron; essential for the correct functioning of the body. To top it up, sesame oil is a potent antioxidant rich in Omega 6 fatty acids.

Sesame oil is also a good source of vitamin E.

I used white rice vinegar because it has a milder and sweeter flavor compared to more acidic Western vinegars.

It is believed that rice vinegar helps in absorbing nutrients such as calcium and other vitamins. This is of particular benefit to pregnant women and people who are showing symptoms of osteoporosis. An extra benefit of Rice Vinegar is its antiseptic qualities which kills dangerous bacteria. The sushi industry is largely dependent on vinegar's ability to prevent germs from growing on the raw fish.