Salad Bar Pile-Up
When dining out or dining in, it’s always good to eat a salad to get in your daily dose of vegetables. Before you dive into your next salad, there are some items you may not want to add to your plate due to a lack of nutritional value, calories, and fat.
Skip these salad items:
Creamy dressings/salads - these items should be avoided due to being higher in calorie and fats. If you must, limit your quantity.
Bacon - while I love bacon, we all know that it’s not the best thing for you. Crutons are a better choice if you need a crunchy topping.
Shredded cheese - avoid cheese which is high in fat or limit significantly to about 1 tablespoon.
Items that are ok but you can do without:
Iceberg lettuce - I’ve always thought this lettuce was a waste of time. It is not helpful at all in the nutrition department.
Alfalfa sprouts - these sprouts hold very little nutritional value and in my opinion don’t taste all that great either. They make for good filler if you’re trying to feel full.
Mushrooms - I like mushrooms so I will continue to add to my salads, however, these also hold very little nutritional value. Adding them won’t hurt calorie/fat wise.
Black olives - I also enjoy these but they are high in fat so if you must, don’t pile them on.
Cucumbers - these are great for crunch but that’s about it. Otherwise they are not very helpful health wise.
Pile these items on!
Mixed greens - these hold more nutrients than regular iceberg lettuce which is really nothing more than water. Don’t waste your time with regular lettuce.
Broccoli - very nutritious and delicious on a salad, this vegetable has vitamin C, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, and is considered a cancer fighting food.
Cherry tomatoes - good source of vitamins A, C, and lycopene.
Shredded carrots - good source of beta-carotene, fiber, and vitamin A.
Hard boiled eggs - great source of protein, lutein, B vitamins, vitamin D, and various other nutrients.
Sunflower seeds - I love adding to my salads. They are a good source of potassium and magnesium.
