Chimichurri Sauce For Weight Loss in Dallas, Little Elm/Frisco, TX
Chimichurri is a traditional Argentinian condiment made from fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. It is commonly used as a marinade or sauce for grilled meats. It’s been reported that the Chimichurri sauce can help with weight loss.
However, it’s important to note that it should be used in moderation to maintain a healthy weight. If not, you can even gain weight instead of losing it with Chimichurri sauce. The sauce is known for its bold flavor, which explains why it’s often used to enhance the flavor of grilled meats. This sauce is surprisingly low in calories. A single tablespoon of Chimichurri contains just 25 calories.
Additionally, Chimichurri sauce is low in fat, sodium, and carbohydrates. It offers a great way to add flavor to your meals without adding a significant amount of calories. Chimichurri is high in calcium, carotenes, iron, vitamins A and C (from parsley), calcium, fiber, iron, and vitamins E and K (from oregano), among other things.
In this article, we will be discussing all you need to know about Chimichurri sauce for weight loss.
How Chimichurri Sauce Helps to Achieve Weight Loss
The ingredients contained in Chimichurri are the backbone behind the benefits of the sauce for weight loss. Its chief ingredient, Parsley, is a known weight-loss agent. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamins. It does the job of cleansing your kidney and liver.
It also functions as a diuretic that facilitates digestion and cures bloating. Besides Parsley, Chimichurri also contains garlic, which, when eaten raw, serves as an effective stimulant for weight loss. Research shows that it effectively cuts belly fat.
Wine vinegar is also one of the ingredients of Chimichurri sauce. The acetic acid in Wine vinegar helps to promote fat burning and suppress the action of ghrelin, the hunger hormone.
Dried oregano is a wonderful aid for digestion and a healthy digestive system is vital for effective weight loss. It also contains olive oil which minimizes sugar cravings, inflammation, and blood sugar levels. The black pepper in Chimichurri sauce is a great metabolic enhancer and fat burner.
The red chili flakes in Chimichurri sauce help boost metabolism and keep you feeling full for longer.
How To Make Chimichurri Sauce For Weight Loss
The healthy chimichurri sauce recipe can be made in a blender or food processor. Before anything, you need to get your ingredients ready to make the sauce. Chimichurri sauce ingredients vary depending on the recipe. The typical ingredient for Chimichurri sauce includes parsley, red chili pepper, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, paprika, red wine vinegar, and lime.
Most other recipes include cilantro and don’t add peppers, but the pepper is one of the basic ingredients that form the traditional chimichurri ingredients. However, if you do not like spicy food or you are sensitive to spicy food, you can add red chili pepper. And if you prefer the cilantro parsley chimichurri sauce, simply replace ½ of the parsley with cilantro and skip the red chili pepper. Swapping a few things and skipping some doesn’t mean the sauce won’t turn out wonderful and flavorful.
After you have all the necessary ingredients ready, you can either use your high-speed blender or use a food processor to blend all the ingredients. After which, pour the blended ingredients into a bowl. Finally, marinate to get a super yummy chimichurri sauce.
Follow the directions below:
- Add the parsley, chili, garlic cloves, oregano, salt, pepper, and paprika in a high-speed blender or food processor and blend.
- Blend until it’s as smooth as you can get it, then add the red wine vinegar and lime juice and blend it a bit more until you reach the desired consistency.
- If needed, add water one tablespoon at a time to achieve desired consistency.
- Transfer the blended content into a medium bowl and cover it. Keep it in the fridge for 1-24 hours to marinate. The longer it’s left in the fridge the better.
To make the Chimichurri sauce without a food processor or blender, do the following:
- Chop the herbs and mince the garlic and onion.
- The ingredients should be placed in a small mixing bowl, and use a spoon to mix everything together.
The chimichurri sauce recipe is suitable for those with dietary restrictions, including vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and nut-free. If you’ve made too much sauce, you can store leftover chimichurri sauce in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Note that as chimichurri sits out or is stored in the fridge, the oil may separate a bit from the other ingredients. Just give it a quick stir to thoroughly mix it again before serving.
Is chimichurri good for weight loss?
Yes, Chimichurri sauce is good for weight loss. It’s widely considered a healthy alternative to sauces that are loaded with cheese, oil, cream, sugar, and sodium. Chimichurri sauce contains only 51 calories, 1.3 grams of carbohydrates, 0.2 grams of sugar, and 148.8 milligrams of sodium.
You can even cut down the calories further as desired by adjusting the measure of olive oil you add to the sauce. You could also add less salt.
Frequently Asked Question
Is Chimichurri Anti-Inflammatory?
Yes, Chimichurri is anti-inflammatory. The ingredients included in Chimichurri sauce, such as garlic, vinegar, oil, and oregano, have anti-inflammatory properties. The fact that it also contains high concentrations of vitamin A and C, add to its anti-inflammatory effects.
Is Chimichurri healthy?
Chimichurri is made from a combination of parsley, oregano, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and other healthy ingredients. The olive oil in chimichurri provides healthy monounsaturated fats that can help boost heart health. The herbs contain antioxidants that can help protect against certain diseases. Overall, chimichurri is a healthy condiment.
Should I make chimichurri sauce by myself or get it from a store?
It’s recommended to make your healthy Chimichurri sauce by yourself at home. This is because homemade Chimichurri sauces are usually much healthier than store-bought versions. When you buy the sauce from a store, it’s often filled with excess sodium, preservatives, and added sugars. Making your Chimichurri sauce at home provides you with a higher degree of flexibility and control over the quality of the sauce.
It allows you to control the exact amount and quality of ingredients used for making the sauce. However, when making this sauce, be aware that it will not stay fresh for as long as the one bought from the store. This is because the homemade sauce does not contain preservatives, while the one bought from the store contains preservatives.
Can I make chimichurri with cilantro?
Yes, you can use cilantro in making Chimichurri sauce. Depending on the type of cuisine you’ll be serving your sauce with, you can experiment with other herbs as well, like basil, mint, and thyme.
Can I freeze Chimichurri?
Yes, you can freeze chimichurri sauce in the fridge. Place the sauce in an ice cube tray to freeze. Then, you can transfer it to an airtight container after it is frozen. When chimichurri sauce is frozen, it can last up to a month.
What are the best tips for Chimichurri sauce for weight loss?
Some of the best practices to make the most of Chimichurri sauce for weight loss include using herbs and ingredients to get the best flavor. Pre-chop the herbs before using the food processor or blender to blend the herbs. Adding a quality extra virgin olive oil helps to give the best flavor.
Will Chimichurri sauce have the same health and weight loss benefits if I swap some ingredients?
While there are some basic ingredients you need to stick with to enjoy the flavourful and nutritious effects of Chimichurri sauce, there are some ingredients that you can swap. For instance, you can replace green onions with shallots if you’re unable to find spring onions in the grocery store.
Also, white wine vinegar can be substituted for red wine vinegar if you don’t have red wine vinegar. However, other vinegar, like rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar, may have a significant impact on the flavor.
What is a substitute for olive oil in chimichurri?
If for any reason, you would like to substitute olive oil for another type of oil, it should be avocado oil. Avocado oil is the optimal choice after olive oil if you still want to achieve the best possible flavor, consistency, and health benefits. Avocado oil is unrefined, just like quality olive oil.