How Healthy Is Your Salad?

Nothing in the world sounds as healthy as a salad. Salads form an integral part of any weight loss plan or a balanced meal. But you need to give it a second thought. Are the salads consumed by you really healthy? The best way to judge is to have a close look at the ingredients of any salad.

The components of the salad can make or break the purpose of having salads. For example, a simple Cobb salad made out of chopped bacon, egg, blue cheese, avocado, and creamy dressing can cost you more than a whopping 1,000 calories! Can’t afford right? So be careful while choosing the ingredients. 

These days salads have lost the true meaning and purpose. Salad in actual originated as an appetizer (stimulate appetite) but people have started taking it as meals as part of a very low-calorie diet. How could a dish that was meant to stimulate hunger, satisfy the same when eaten alone?  A salad can be eaten as a main meal when ingredients used include lentils, meats, eggs, fish seeds or cereals. 

• First of all, decide upon a strong and healthy base for your salads that can include lettuce, carrots, cucumber, red cabbage, bell peppers, rocket leaves, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, sprouts, chickpeas, kidney beans etc. To improve the protein content you could add cottage cheese, tofu or some lentils. But please note this will increase the calorie content as well.  If you are looking for some non-veg options egg whites, chicken and fish are the best. As far as possible avoid red meats, bacon, beef, pork if you are trying hard to reduce those flaws.
• Next comes the dressing. Caesar dressing, thousand islands, ginger sesame vinaigrette, ranch dressing, Swiss cheese can kill your dreams of losing weight. Always choose from low-calorie varieties like lemon dressing, hung curd, olive oil, French dressing, Asian ginger, balsamic etc. A simple tomato, onion, cucumber salad with lemon dressing can do wonders for your health.

Salads should always be low calorie and full of nutrition. The best time to eat salad is half an hour before the meals. Being low calorie you could always have it as a mid-meal snack. Avoid sprinkling salt as it unnecessarily adds to the sodium content. Use fresh fruits and veggies!