Greek salad, pronounced ‘horiatiki salata’ meaning ‘village salad’ is a common component of a traditional Greek meal, light, refreshing and easy to make. That’s just for starters, appearances can be deceptive, this humble looking dish is lavishly packed with life-protecting qualities.A true Greek salad contains chopped tomatoes and cucumber, red onion, a light seasoning of oregano, salt and black pepper. Dressed with olive oil; other common additions include feta cheese and olives. All these simple ingredients can greatly boost your immune system.

Tomatoes – were introduced into Europe from South America less than four centuries ago and, ironically were originally regarded as dangerous, today they are esteemed as a ‘super food’ brimming with antioxidants including vitamins A and C, and the powerful anti cancer agent Lycopene. Lycopene is the pigment that turns tomatoes red. Research suggests that people with high levels of Lycopene are at a much lower risk of developing cancer of the cervix, bladder and pancreas. Tomatoes are known to boost resistance to infection and encourage wound healing. Tomatoes are great for weight watchers too as they contain very few calories.

Cucumbers – probably originated in northwest India, but travelled west long before the Christian era. Related to the watermelon family this cool, crisp vegetable is made of over 96% water making it extremely low in calories; with its high water content it is a natural diuretic.

Onions – are one of civilisations oldest medicines, stacked with powerful compounds; a natural antibiotic they can inhibit bacteria likely to cause gastroenteritis and stomach ulcers, possibly protecting against stomach cancer by decreasing the amount of stomach nitrates. Onions are also an excellent cold remedy and they help mucus move through the lungs, in addition to easing asthma and hay fever. Whether eaten raw or cooked, studies suggest that onions aid circulation and help to prevent blood clotting, they also assist the body’s metabolism by lowering blood cholesterol. Just half an onion a day is claimed to boost good cholesterol by 30%. Research continues to determine its many anti-cancer properties.

Olive oil - the antioxidant benefits of olive oil are well documented; it is known to raise good cholesterol, thin the blood and lower blood pressure. Just 4 -5 tablespoons of olive oil daily has been shown to dramatically improve the blood profiles of heart attack patients, while two-thirds of a tablespoonful daily lowered blood pressure in men.

Oregano – takes it name from the Greek ‘origanon’ which derives from a combination of ancient Greek words for ‘mountain’ and ‘delight’ referring to it’s enchanting floral display over rocky landscapes. It contains significant levels of antioxidants plus compounds that inhibit the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Feta cheese – was first recorded in Byzantine times and takes its name from the Italian word for slice ‘fette’. A salted cheese cured in brine and made from either sheep or goats milk; it has only recently been recognised as an exclusively Greek product after wining a long legal battle in 2002 against Denmark that produced a similar cheese. Feta is a good source of protein and rich source of calcium. Calcium in cheese is absorbed by the body easier than calcium from other foods and, Feta is extremely easy to digest. The high proportion of calcium in cheese may help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Olives – are a great source of vitamin E and provide a mix of natural antioxidants. They contain very few calories, roughly ten olives contain between 30 -40 calories.

In addition to all it’s benefits, a Greek salad counts towards the recommended five daily servings of fruit and vegetables – salad days just got better!