Today, nothing sounds fresher, more delicious and healthier than a plate of salad.
Huffington Post has listed the best and the worst ingredients for your salad dish according to The MD Factor Diet author and bistroMD creator, Caroline Cederquist, M.D.
Cruchy vegetables such as Cucumber, Celery, Carrots, Kale, Lettuce, and Bell pepper are among the ones on her list that are high in vitamins and fiber. "They make you feel full, and the very act of chewing them actually helps you enjoy eating your meal more," Dr. Cederquist said.
Protein-rich food like chicken breast, tuna, white fish, and egg whites can also add up to your daily healthy fix. "Include a source of lean protein so that your salad is a complete meal, containing the amino acids you need to build and maintain muscle," she added.
"Nuts, cheese, and dried cranberries can make a salad really fun to eat, but they can add calories," Dr. Cederquist warned. "It's OK to add them, but only a tiny bit of any--or all--of them. The veggies and protein are the stars of the meal."
Now that salad bars have been very popular among diners, some ingredients are said to be containing high-fat or non-nutritional values. These are your wontons, tortilla strips, fried chicken, croutons, dried fruits, bacon, and starchy veggies like corn niblets, which are also found available beside healthier vegetables served.
Aside from salads, people can also eat healthy through yummier ways of cooking fruits and vegetables.
"You won't even feel like you're eating vegetables," Heather Bauer, RD, CDN told Huffington Post. Recipes such as baked vegetable-stuffed muffins, omelets, greens such as spinach instead of pesto on your noodle dish, making smoothies, your healthier version of pizza topped with mozzarella, and soups can help you feel you're not punishing yourself for just eating all-healthy.
