Can you eat escarole raw?
In this brief guide, we will answer the query, “can you eat escarole raw?”. We will also discuss the nutritional values and health benefits of adding escarole into your diet.
Can you eat escarole raw?
Yes, escarole can be consumed raw or cooked like any other green leaves like spinach or kale available in the grocers.
Escaroles are a great addition to any dishes that you are preparing. Escarole has a distinctive taste and flavour to them which makes the food taste different.
It is full of nutrients and very less calories and zero fat which makes it to be a food to boost your immunity and good health.
What is escarole?
Escarole is the flat-leaved variety of the endive which is a member of the chicory family. Escarole is a type of green that is layered lettuce with large dark green leaves on the outside and soft and tender pale leaves on the inside.
These taste bitter but are packed with folates, fibres, and vitamins A and K.
How does escarole taste?
Escarole has a very distinctive taste to it. The outer dark green and leafy part of escarole are bitter and chewy but the inner leaves are soft, tender, and have a crunch to them.
What is the difference between escarole and lettuce?
Escarole belongs to the endive family though they look like large green leafy lettuces. Escarole is bitter in taste and is full of fibres vitamin A and K and high in folate.
Escarole may look like your everyday lettuce but are definitely different in taste, texture, and flavour.
Can you get the bitterness out of escarole?
Not all of the bitterness can be taken away from the escarole but it can be made a little mellow by simply boiling the leaves for 2 minutes in rolling boiling water and quickly shifting it to a bowl of ice-cold water. By doing so, one can preserve the dark green colour of the leaves but get rid of the bitterness.
What is the nutritional value of escarole?
Escarole is packed with lots of nutrients that are very much vital for everyone’s wellbeing. Escarole contains vitamin A and K, iron, vitamin C, calcium and fibre. A serving of escarole is very beneficial for a healthy mind and body.
Is escarole better raw or cooked?
Escarole is very kitchen-friendly lettuce that can be added to any dish be it salads, soups, casseroles, or kinds of pasta.
Either sauteed in a pan with other green vegetables or added to a soup or roughly chopped and added to a salad, escarole gives a peculiar taste, texture, and flavour to the dish that no other greens can ever add.
It is always better to keep the outer leaves for cooking and the inner soft and tender leaves to add to the salads to enjoy them raw.
How to store escarole?
Escarole like any other leafy green should wash before consumption to avoid any gastro-related sickness since it may contain pathogens and bacteria.
They should be stored in the fridge and placed in an airtight container or in a plastic bag. This will keep them fresh for 3 days.
Keeping the escarole for a longer period of time will certainly deteriorate the quality and crispness of the leaves. So it is advised to use it as soon as possible if you are using them in salads to eat them raw.
What are the health benefits of escarole?
Escarole is high in nutrition which is beneficial for better health. It is always good to include leafy green in your meals.
Increases immunity
Vitamin C is the main nutrient responsible for immune health and escarole is loaded with Vitamin C.
A person with a weaker immunity is always prone to some sort of illness since the body’s ability to fight against pathogens, viruses and bacteria is low.
Increasing the intake of escarole or other green leafy vegetables will help boost immunity.
Good digestive system
Escarole is high in fibre and we all know fibre is essential for a healthy gut environment. The green leafy vegetables help in adding good bacteria into the gut which helps in digestion.
Healthy eyes
Vitamin A is present in escarole which is vital for healthy eyes. Chronic deficiency of vitamin A leads to an ailment called night blindness which makes the person not see at night time but have no issues during the day.
Lack of vitamin A can also lead to dry eyes. Adding escarole to your diet will definitely help improve your eye health.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the query, “can you eat escarole raw?”. We also discussed the nutritional values and health benefits of adding escarole into your diet.
I hope this blog was helpful. If you have any questions, please let us know.
