It's summer, which means, it's salad season. Fresh, lush greens and seasonal fruits abound. So, what are the best and worst things to add to your salad? Keep reading.
Bite this:
- Spinach. Spinach is a nutritional all star- loaded with lutein, beta-carotene and potassium. Unlike its slimy cooked counterpart, raw spinach adds a nice bite to your salad.
- Berries. Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are at their peak this time of year. All will boost the flavor, fiber and anti-oxidant content of any salad.
- Hard cheese. Parmesan, Asiago and aged Romano cheese are lower in saturated fat than your typical cheddar and other soft cheese. And because they're quite savory, a little bit goes a long way.
- Chopped nuts. Nuts are an excellent source of heart healthy mono-unsaturated fat, but can also pack a hefty dose of calories. Chop up a few pecans or walnuts rather than adding handfuls of them.
- Beans. Garbanzos, black beans or kidney beans add fiber, flavor and texture to your salad without any fat. Plus, they're an excellent source of protein, which is filling.
Not that:
- Dried fruit. American seems obsessed with adding handfuls of dried/sweetened cranberries or raisins to their salad. Unfortunately, these only boost the sugar and calorie content of an otherwise healthy meal.
- Chunks of meat. We could all use a little less pig in our diets. Skip the ham and smoked turkey and spare your heart the extra sodium.
- Tuna or chicken salad. Let's face it. The preparation of commercial tuna or chicken salad doesn't include the use of low fat mayo. This is salad suicide.
- Shredded cheese. Most salad bars include a bin of freshly shredded cheddar. Though it may look tempting to toss in your salad, think of all the saturated fat you'd be tossing into your body.
- Full fat dressing. This is a no-brainer. Why bother eating salad if it's just going to be drowned in dressing? You might actually enjoy your next salad more with just a touch of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
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