Think salads are a foolproof lunch plan if you’re on a diet? Not so fast. Just because it’s green does not mean it’s healthy. While salads are a great way to get more essential vitamins and nutrients that most of us don’t eat often enough, it’s easy to load up on ingredients that make a good salad go bad. Here are seven things you shouldn’t even think about putting in your salad if you’re trying to lose weight.
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Crispy Chicken, Shrimp, or Tofu
Crispy chicken, coconut shrimp, fried tofu, or any other coated protein that add unnecessary calories and, often, a dose of sugar—making your salad not so diet-friendly. “But you always want to add a lean source of protein to your salad to help satisfy and fill you up,” says New York City-based nutritionistBrigitte Zeitlin, R.D.Instead, opt for grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, canned tuna (minus the mayo), hard-boiled eggs, steamed tofu, or edamame.
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Crunchy Noodles, Wontons, and Tortilla Strips
“Crunchy noodles are like eating chips,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., creator ofBetterThanDieting.comand author ofRead It Before You Eat It. All they add to your salad are calories (around 120 per half cup) and fat (half of those calories, at around 60 grams). Same goes for tortilla strips or wontons. Instead, toss in half a cup of dried chickpeas for crunch: Part of the superfood bean family, they have protein to fill you up as well as soluble fiber, which may lower cholesterol levels. Zeitlin suggests adding one to two tablespoons almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hemp seeds, or pumpkin seeds. “These guys add heart-healthy fats that help fill you up so that you feel satisfied and don’t look for unnecessary snacks between meals,” she says.
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Creamy Dressings
Creamy dressings like ranch, Caesar, and honey-Dijon are loaded with calories (around 160 per two tablespoons of blue cheese dressing), sodium (170 mg) and not-so-healthy fats (17 grams, or 150 of those 160 calories—often times, surprisingly, from soybean oil). Atlanta-based nutritionistMarisa Moore, R.D., recommends getting flavor from vinegars like balsamic or champagne plus a drizzle of heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil. Or whip up a luxurious but healthier creamy dressing at home using ripe avocado or tahini to get the same textured effect.
(Learn how bone broth can help you lose weight with Women's Health's Bone Broth Diet.)
Fat-Free Dressings
Fat-free dressings are actually higher in salt and sugar than the real stuff (two tablespoons of fat-free Ranch, for example, has between 270 to 380 mg sodium and two to three grams of sugar…the first ingredients of many brands are corn syrup and sugar!). Plusresearch has foundthat your body needs healthy fats to absorb some essential nutrients, like lycopene and vitamin A, in veggies. Instead, opt for olive oil blended with balsamic or apple vinegar or fresh-squeezed lemon juice. And portion control is key. “Too much of any dressing can be the biggest culprit in making a good salad go bad, easily adding an extra 200 to 300 calories to the bowl,” says Zeitlin. So stick to one to two tablespoons total.
Croutons
While croutons bump up a salad’s texture and flavor, a small handful can add nearly 100 calories, over 200 mg sodium, and a couple of grams of saturated fat without much nutritional benefit, says Moore. She recommends adding seasoned walnuts for the same effect (disclosure: Moore has worked with California Walnuts). For a flavor boost, toss them in dried Italian herbs, herbs de Provence, or any other blend that works well with the other flavors in your salad.
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Dried Fruit
Dried cranberries, apricots, and raisins are loaded with around 22 grams of sugar (that’s almost as much as a Butterfinger bar!) and 100 calories in one-quarter cup—minus the filling fiber of fresh fruit. Instead, add one serving of fresh seasonal fruit, like half a cup of sliced grapes or clementines, for flavor and antioxidants. Or snack on half a cup of fresh berries after your meal, suggests Zeitlin.
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Bacon Bits
Bacon bits are mostly made with soybean flour and sunflower or canola oil and loaded with 180 mg of sodium and 30 calories in just one tablespoon (and who uses just one tablespoon!). They don’t add anything nutritionally to your salad, plus all that extra salt will leave you feeling thirsty and bloated. Instead, Moore recommends one to two tablespoons of unsalted smoked nuts for similar flavor plus a dose of healthy fats and fiber.
Colleen de Bellefonds
Colleen de Bellefonds is an American freelance journalist living in Paris, France, with her husband and dog, Mochi. She loves running, yoga, and wine, and is very particular about her baguettes.
