Ingredient Showdown
Toss In…
- Almonds. Fiber, protein, and healthy fat remain sated. Don’t go too nuts, simply because they’re calorie-dense; use merely a tablespoon of slivered almonds.
- Lean protein. The omega-3 body fat in grilled salmon prevent heart disease and boost mental ability. Go fish with 3?ounces, or possibly a portion concerning the size of your palm.
- A good egg. To eat precisely the white, the yolk’s done to you. The yolk contains vitamin D, which can guard against cancer, diabetes, and more. This also has 4.5?grams of fat, so limit your salad to 1 hard-boiled egg.
- Avocado. The monounsaturated fat in avocado helps slim your waist. Add in a sixth of an avocado, which has about 55 calories and 5 (good-for-you) fat grams.
- Go-to greens. The darker the leaves, the better minerals and vitamins. Consider a spring mix (e.g., mesclun) for varied textures and flavors.
- Soy beans. Research indicates that soy may protect your ticker, decrease cancer risk, and produce bone. Find precooked edamame within the supermarket’s frozen-foods section.
- DIY dressing. Nix fatty store-bought varieties. Mix 1/2 cup olive or walnut oil (both supply heart-healthy fats and flavor), 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, and chopped parsley or thyme (makes four servings).
- Various veggies. Load up on nutrient-rich picks like peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and tomatoes. They already have just 20 calories per serving, this means you can’t eat a great number of.
Toss Out…
- Loser leaves. Pun intended, the iceberg: These greens are as reduced in nutrients because they are in flavor.
- Fat bombs. Bacon bits add 100 calories and 4?grams of artery-clogging unhealthy fat per ounce. Use turkey or Canadian bacon instead.
- Sweet nothings. Candied walnuts and sugared almonds have nearly 180 calories per ounce. You could in addition throw a number of M&M’s against your salad!
- Foe carbs. Buttery croutons are really a recipe for prime cholesterol. For healthy crunch, crumble one or two whole-grain crackers against your greens.
- Pollo loco. Fried chicken can pack up to 15 unwanted fat grams per 3-ounce serving. Yikes!
- Scary dairy. Sad but true: One measly ounce of cheese contains up to 120 calories and 9?grams of fat. Use lower-fat soft cheese, for example goat or feta, sparingly.
- Dressing disasters. Blue cheese may be the worst offender of your creamy dressings, with 145 calories and 15 grams of fat in a very 2-tablespoon serving.
Easy Time-Savers
Toss a stress-free salad with these strategies from FITNESS advisory board member Leslie Bonci, RD, director of sports nutrition for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Use top of your head.
Daily lettuce prep gets tedious. Once, wash leaves and divvy them up into several containers (layer in many paper towels to have leaves crisp).
Do the can-can.
Canned baby corn, artichoke hearts, and diced tomatoes add low-cost, low-fuss flavor. Simply given that they have a very longer life expectancy doesn’t cause them to become less healthy.
Plan ahead.
Last night’s grilled veggies have already been chopped and ready for the salad. Boiling tortellini for supper? Make extra and throw together a veggie-pasta salad for tomorrow’s lunch.
