Okroshka: benefits and harms to the body

Okroshka is one of the most popular summer dishes. It refreshes in the heat, satisfies hunger and tastes great. It contains many vegetables that contain nutrients. Kefir or kvass at the base of this summer soup also have a beneficial effect on the body. What are the benefits and harms of okroshka, how to cook a dish and make it even healthier.

The composition and calorie content of the dish

Okroshka consists of 2 types of ingredients: base and other non-liquid products. The basis is kvass or some fermented milk product. Usually it is kefir, but the dish can be prepared with ayran or fermented milk sourdough. The rest of the ingredients are poured with these drinks:

• cucumbers;
• eggs;
• potatoes;
• radish;
• sausage or meat;
• greens.

Salt, pepper, mustard are also added if desired. Something can be excluded or added from the main set of products, taking into account taste preferences. Therefore, the calorie content of the dish will differ depending on the ingredients.

Calorie okroshka on kvass

The calorie content of a dish based on kvass is about 60 kcal. But here everything depends on other ingredients - the use of fatty meat or sausage can increase the energy value up to 75-80 kcal per 100 g. Increases the calorie content of the dish and the excess amount of potatoes due to the relatively high content of carbohydrates.

Calorie okroshka on kefir

The calorie content of okroshka on kefir depends on the fat content of the fermented milk product. The energy value of a dish based on low-fat kefir is no more than 55 kcal per 100 g, taking into account that it does not include other fatty or carbohydrate ingredients. Kefir of 3.2% fat content will increase the calorie content of okroshka to 65 kcal.

Is okroshka useful?

Okroshka is not only tasty and refreshing, but also a healthy dish. The beneficial properties of okroshka are due to the presence in its composition of a large amount of vegetables and herbs. Thanks to vegetables, the body receives vitamins and fiber. The use of meat in cooking supplements the diet with some protein, which is especially useful on the diet.

The benefits of okroshka on kvass

Kvass perfectly quenches thirst, and also has a number of health benefits:

• destroys pathogens;
• stimulates metabolism;
• stabilizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
• strengthens the enamel of the teeth;
• helps to improve heart function.

In addition, the yeast in kvass has an antimicrobial effect. Regular consumption of yeast helps to cope with pustular skin diseases.

The benefits of okroshka on kefir

No less useful okroshka based on kefir - the most useful of fermented milk products. This drink is appreciated for the following properties:

1. It puts in order the metabolic processes, mitigating the harm caused to the body by lack of sleep, unhealthy diet and stress.
2. Easy to digest and helps the absorption of other foods.
3. Contains useful trace elements - iodine, copper, fluorine, and kefir is not inferior to milk in terms of calcium content.
4. The drink contains B vitamins, useful for the nervous system, skin and hair.

The beneficial properties of the product make it especially popular for weight loss. Therefore, it is recommended to use kefir as a basis on a diet.

Is it possible to lose weight on okroshka

Thanks to its beneficial ingredients, okroshka can be considered a product of a healthy diet. In some cases, it can even serve as the basis of the diet. To do this, it should contain as much greens and vegetables as possible, but potatoes should not be overused on a diet. But the sausage must be abandoned altogether, replacing it with meat.

It is better to fill the dietary version of the dish with kefir, the fat content of which is no more than 1.5% percent.

Is okroshka possible for pregnant and lactating

If the attending physician has not established any special restrictions, then okroshka can be eaten by women during pregnancy or lactation. Okroshka during pregnancy is not only not harmful, but also useful. It satisfies the increased need for trace elements and vitamins, and also suppresses nausea during early toxicosis.

Summer soup also improves appetite in hot weather when pregnant women are usually not hungry.

At what age can okroshka be given to children?

Usually okroshka is not advised to be consumed by babies under 3 years old. A dish that includes sausage and mayonnaise will not benefit older children either. But okroshka on kefir can be given to younger children. The main thing is to monitor the quality of vegetables and choose only those products that are not in doubt. It is advisable to refuse from store kvass, replacing it with homemade.

How to make okroshka healthier

To make your diet healthier, consider the following cooking guidelines:

1. It is better to refuse sausage, especially fatty one. Instead, you can add boiled low-fat meat - chicken, turkey, veal.
2. The amount of potatoes should be reduced - the body does not need too much starch.
3. When preparing okroshka, it is advisable to add as many cucumbers, radishes and herbs as possible.
4. Mayonnaise or sugar will not benefit your body.

If you can use vegetables grown on your own, then summer soup will become even tastier and healthier. It is also recommended to use homemade kvass as a base.

How to cook okroshka

Usually the dish is prepared with kvass or kefir. These healthy and inexpensive drinks complement the vegetable side of summer soup. Also, ayran, tan, milk whey or fermented baked milk are sometimes used as a basis.

Recipe for classic okroshka on kvass

For cooking you will need:

• 1.5 liters of bread kvass;
• 500 g potatoes;
• 3 chicken eggs;
• 300 g of boiled sausage;
• 200 g of radish;
• 300 g cucumbers
• greens in any quantity (to taste);
• salt, black pepper.

The cooking sequence is as follows:

1. Cool and peel boiled potatoes in a peel, cut into cubes.
2. Cut sausage, eggs, cucumbers into cubes.
3. Cut the radish as thin as possible.
4. Chop the herbs finely.
5. Mix the potatoes, sausages (meat), eggs, radishes and cucumbers in a deep bowl.
6. Season the ingredients with salt and pepper. Arrange in portions on plates.
7. Pour kvass over everything and sprinkle with herbs on top.

If desired, add a spoonful of sour cream at the end. Such okroshka cannot be called dietary due to the presence of sausage and a fairly large amount of potatoes, but it is great for saturating and quenching thirst on a summer day.

Recipe for classic okroshka on kefir

In terms of composition, this recipe is similar to the previous one, but the final dish is lighter. For cooking you will need:

• 1 liter of kefir;
• 0.5 l of water;
• 400-500 g of cucumbers;
• 200 g potatoes;
• 4-6 pieces of chicken eggs;
• 200-300 g of radish;
• 300 g of boiled chicken or veal;
• dill, parsley, celery and any other greens;
• salt, black pepper.

The dish is prepared as follows:

1. Cut cucumbers and radishes into cubes or strips. You can also grate vegetables.
2. Cut boiled hard-boiled eggs into cubes.
3. Potatoes must be boiled in their skins, cooled, peeled and diced.
4. Chop the meat.
5. Grind the herbs.
6. Mix meat, eggs and vegetables.
7. Season with salt, add pepper.
8. Mix kefir with water and pour the prepared ingredients.
9. Sprinkle with herbs.

If desired, egg yolks can be excluded - this option is suitable for use on a diet with a limited amount of fat. For a non-dietary diet, the yolks can be grinded with mustard - this will give the dish a special interesting taste.

The harm of okroshka and contraindications to use

Now it is clear what the benefits of okroshka are for the body, but it can also be harmful to health. It all depends on the ingredients:

1. Sausage can have an adverse effect on the heart, blood vessels, and the digestive system. Fatty sausage promotes weight gain.
2. Boiled potatoes contain simple carbohydrates - they raise blood sugar levels, so you feel hungry again, which is undesirable for obese people.
3. Kvass also stimulates appetite in combination with boiled potatoes.
4. Kvass and kefir are contraindicated in case of high acidity, as well as stomach ulcers.
5. Fermented drinks are undesirable to use for gout, urolithiasis and liver cirrhosis.
6. With increased pressure, drink kvass with caution.
7. Okroshka, especially on the basis of kefir, is undesirable to use if you are prone to indigestion.

It is important to monitor the quality of the products that make up the dish. Vegetables and kvass from supermarkets are often not credible, so it is worth buying groceries in trusted places. Vegetables that are not heat treated must be thoroughly rinsed under running water.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of okroshka depend on the ingredients in its composition. By increasing the amount of healthy foods, as well as reducing the amount of harmful ingredients, the dish can be made healthier. The set of products included in the composition is useful for the body due to vegetables, kvass and kefir. Contraindications to use are usually stomach and intestinal diseases.