Relish Good Health with Salsa

Step-aside, ketchup; salsa is winning the hearts and taste buds of more Americans all the time. Salsa simply means “sauce” in Spanish. In Mexico, most meals are served with a simple fresh salsa made with tomatoes, jalapeno chilies and onions. Now, Americans are using salsa as a tangy condiment for foods like burgers, baked potatoes and eggs, or wherever else ketchup would go. And salsa’s uses far surpass ketchup’s, accompanying whole-grain pasta, soups, poultry and seafood.

The traditional peppery fire of salsa is training our taste buds to crave a zesty kick to our meals. Salsa can be comfortably mild or fiercely hot. But whichever you prefer, salsa is also a healthy veggie dish that can be eaten liberally. A half-cup of salsa will add a serving of vegetable or fruit to your daily tally. It can supply a wide range of cancer-fighting antioxidant vitamins, natural phytochemicals (such as lycopene in tomatoes), and the mineral potassium that is in such short supply in our diets.

Salsa can be cooked or uncooked (“fresh”). Most commercial salsas cooked and processed -- don’t contain added fat and have only small amounts of sugar, although sodium content can be in the high range of 90 to 270 milligrams (mg) in just two tablespoons. Compare the sodium content listed on the Nutrition Facts labels to find brands that are lower in sodium. 

Mix It up Fresh
Homemade salsas that use fresh vegetables and fruits usually have the advantage of far less sodium than the kinds you buy in a jar. You can make a batch of uncooked salsa in 15 minutes and keep it refrigerated for up to a week.

Salsa has the same name as a type of Latin dance music because both are a mixture of different ingredients. Popular salsa recipes on cooking web sites and television shows now combine vegetables and fruits and may even omit tomatoes.  Examples include black beans, sweet red pepper and hot chili pepper with orange and avocado; peach, cucumber and lime; mango and avocado with cilantro; and pineapple, corn and mango.

Start experimenting with the traditional salsa recipe by adding roasted peppers seasoned with aromatic herbs to the ingredients. When you’ve achieved the degree of heat you prefer, using hot sauce, cayenne or chili pepper or chopped jalapeño peppers, try adding other chopped vegetables and fruits. Here are some recipes to get you started.

Basic Tomato Salsa
Yield: 2 cups
3 medium or 4 small fresh firm tomatoes, stems removed, finely diced
2 Tbsp. canned, diced mild green chilies
2 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 - 1 tsp. cumin
Juice of one lime, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In medium bowl, place tomatoes, chilies, chives, cilantro, oregano, and cumin. Stir in lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for a half hour to let flavors blend before serving, and refrigerate any leftover salsa.

Makes 4 servings. Per 1/2 cup serving: 30 calories, less than 1 g. total fat (0g saturated fat), 6 g. carbohydrates, 1 g. protein, 1 g. dietary fiber, 23 mg. sodium.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. The Institute provides a wide range of consumer education programs that help millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals, and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided more than $70 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition and cancer. Visit the AICR Web site. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.