Is Pesto Healthy For You?

Pesto 

Pesto calls the northern Italian region of Liguria it’s home. Whilst it might not all be vegan-friendly (especially the traditional stuff) there are plenty of delicious recipes to follow and jars to buy from the supermarket that are entirely plant-based. 

Is pesto healthy?

On its own, pesto is a healthy ingredient, especially if made fresh and contains good quality olive oil. It’s a fairly unprocessed sauce, but it can have levels of salt that are verging on high, so a healthier option is to go for ‘low-salt’ varieties. 

Individually, the ingredients that make up pesto such as garlic, lemon juice and pine nuts, have their own nutritional values that, as part of a well-balanced diet, can all contribute to good general maintained health. But it’s unlikely that pesto is the next superfood to watch out for. 

What next?

Hungry for something healthy and rich in pesto for dinner? We love this recipe for Val’s Winter Pesto Pasta with a Cheesy Sunflower Crumb and know you will too.

Keep your burning plant-based living questions coming our way and we’ll get them answered for you.