A healthy salad

A healthy salad

When we think of the word “salad” we often think of the words “healthy”, “diet”, “refreshing”, “low calorie”, etc. Salads provide many vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals which are all good for our health.  However, all salads are not created equal. While some salads are very healthy, others contain more calories and fat than a cheeseburger and fries. Below are some tips for making a healthy salad.

·         Start your salad with leafy greens. Choose from a range of greens including romaine, arugula, spinach, etc. You can find a wide variety of greens at the local farmers market, the supermarket, or you can grow leafy greens in your own garden. They are low in calories at less than 20 calories a cup, and provide many nutrients including Vitamins A, C, K and Folic acid.

·         Add a variety of vegetables to your salad. They will add 23-30 calories a cup and provide a variety of nutrients including Vitamins A, C, and folate, fiber, and antioxidants. Some common vegetables to add include cucumbers, peppers, carrots, and broccoli, but be creative and try adding a new vegetable every few weeks.

·         Add fresh fruit to your salad.  One half cup of fruit will add only 30 calories and an abundance of nutrients including vitamins A, C, folate, fiber, and phytochemicals.  Some great options include strawberries, blueberries, grapes, orange slices, and apples. Fruit will add color, sweetness, and texture to your salad.

·         Add 2-3 ounces of lean protein to make a salad into a meal. Some good sources include, chicken, turkey, fish, beans, tofu, and egg.  Be aware of portion sizes and avoid adding anything fried or in heavy sauces.

·         Allow for one tablespoon of a higher calorie topping including nuts, seeds, dried fruit, bacon bits, croutons, or shredded cheese. These toppings can add great flavor and texture, but will add extra calories, so add only one of these toppings.

·         To make your salad into a complete meal you can also choose to add a small amount of a high fiber grains including brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat couscous, whole wheat pasta, etc.

·         Add a salad dressing that is high in monounsaturated fat and low in saturated fat. Use an olive oil based dressing and avoid cream based dressing. For an even healthier dressing, make your own dressing with olive oil, vinegar, and herbs/spices or use salsa as a dressing.

Tips for eating a healthy salad at a restaurant

·         Order a salad as an appetizer before your main course. This will help to keep you away from the bread and other higher calorie appetizers on the table while you wait for your main course.

·         When ordering a salad, always ask for the dressing on the side. You can then either add a small amount to your salad or dip your salad into the dressing. This will ensure you can limit the amount of dressing added.

·         When ordering a salad, read the salad ingredients on the menu and ask for items “on the side” if you question whether they are a healthy addition to your salad. This will leave the option to leave them out.

·         Be careful at salad bars. They usually contain many healthy salad items. However, they often also have prepared salads that have mayonnaise, creams, fried foods, etc. in them. These are not items you want to add to your salad.

·         Watch your portion size when eating a salad in a restaurant. While the vegetables may be low calorie, the protein, other additions, and salad dressing can add significant calories.

Enjoy a variety of salads. You can find many recipes online, in cookbooks, and you can even create your own unique salad recipes.