If you've ever tried to lose weight or go on a health kick, you have likely thought a lot about salads. Salads can be a great way to fit a variety of nutrient-dense and lower-calorie foods into one meal. But, not all salads are created equal. Read on to learn if salads are good for weight loss.
People have assumed that salads are good for weight loss for many years. Most of us have seen dieting individuals in our life choose a large salad when going out to eat or eating their favorite salad during their lunch hour at work. Salads can be food for weight loss, but not every salad is equal, and some salads, or certain parts of them, are not good for weight loss.
First off, let's please try to let go of the idea that salads ave to be all veggies or bland. The good news is that, whether or not salads are good for weight loss depends on what ingredients you put into them, how big you make them, and most importantly… what dressing and how much of it you drizzle over the top of them.
What Makes a Salad Good for Weight Loss?
Low in Calories
If you want to make a weight-loss-friendly salad, you will want to choose salad ingredients that are relatively low in calories. To make your salad low in calories, load it up with non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. These vegetables are low in calories but high in nutrients and flavor. You can also include fresh herbs and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to add more flavor without adding more calories.
Adding whole grains to your salad is also okay and even encouraged. If you want to make your salad more filling and well-rounded regarding macros, consider adding things like farro, quinoa, wild rice, or sweet potatoes. These starches may have carbs, but if you are not following a low-carb diet, adding some healthy carbs into your salad mix is a great idea.
High in Fiber
It is no secret that eating a good amount of fiber is the key to staying full and keeping your bowels regular. Eating foods high in fiber helps you feel full and satisfied and is a great way to keep you from overeating.
Adding fiber-rich ingredients like leafy greens, apples, carrots, broccoli, and beans to your salad can help control your appetite and keep you from going back for more food when you have already finished your meal. Remember that even though beans are a great addition to a salad, adding too many can quickly increase the calorie count.
Lean Protein
When you make or order your salad, you should aim for one that is loaded with lean, healthy protein. Grilled chicken breast, lean sirloin steak, salmon, roasted turkey, and tempeh are all great lean protein options. Avoid proteins that have been fried or have a higher fat content, like greasy pulled pork or 80% fat ground beef.
Including lean protein sources in your salad, such as oven-roasted chicken breast, tofu, beans, or quinoa, is a great way to help you maintain muscle mass and keep you feeling full. Eating protein also helps kick your body into gear because it requires more work to digest and ultimately, you burn more calories when digesting protein.
Healthy Fats
Not all fats are evil, but too much of any fat can be detrimental to your weight loss journey. All fats are calorie-dense, but incorporating small portions of healthy fats like avocado, walnuts, almonds, or olive oil into your salad can add flavor, texture, and satiety without overloading calories.
It is important to not go overboard with healthy fats. Salted roasted nuts make a delicious salad topper, but it is easy to go overboard, especially when making a salad at home. I recommend weighing out any fats that you add to your salad to keep the calories in check. If you want more crunch, add extra crunchy vegetables you have included rather than extra nuts.
Balance of Nutrients
When you make or order a salad, try to achieve a balance of macronutrients. This means including carbohydrates (vegetables, whole grains), protein (lean meat, beans), and healthy fats (avocado, nuts) to keep you satisfied and provide essential nutrients. Eating a balance of nutrients in your salads and meals, in general, can help prevent blood sugar spikes and encourage fullness.
If your weight loss journey involves sticking to a certain set of macros, making salads is the perfect time to consider your nutrient needs. Your salad can absolutely include grains and does not have to be all greens and veggies. Have fun with it! Different types of diets and individual calorie and dietary needs will likely dictate the types of salads you consume.
What Makes a Salad Bad for Weight Loss?
Large Portions
Salads are delicious and one of the best parts about making a salad or ordering one at a restaurant is the fun combination of tasty ingredients. One of the best parts is seeing how many ingredients you can throw together for something tasty. However, this means that portions can get out of control really quickly when it comes to salads.
If you eat salads on a regular basis or want them to be your go-to diet meal, then you will want to be cautious of the size of salad you are eating. Eating a salad that's oversized can lead to excess calorie intake, defeating the purpose of eating salad for weight loss. Not only do you want to consider the size of your salad overall, but you also want to consider the amount of certain high-calorie ingredients in your salad.
One tip for helping control the portion size of your salad is to make it in a smaller bowl or if using a larger bowl, include a large portion of lettuce, cabbage, or kale to take up most of the space.
High-Calorie Dressings
Okay, let’s talk about what we all know but none wants to hear. Salad dressing. Salad dressing is what makes a salad for many people, and Ranch is commonly the dressing of choice. Ranch dressing is flavorful and creamy but also very high in calories. Just 2oz of dressing can be 200 calories; most people will use more than that on their salad. Dressing is often where the majority of salad calories come from.
Most traditional salad dressings are high in calories and fat because they are made primarily of things like mayonnaise and oils. To lower the calories you add to your salad through dressings, consider using balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, or yogurt-based dressings. Most of your favorite dressings like Ranch, Thousand Island, and Caesar can be recreated using yogurt, which provides more protein and fewer calories.
For example, here is my greek yogurt-based Healthy Ranch Dressing Recipe that's actually good for you!
High-Calorie Toppings
Many people enjoy ingredients like cheese, bacon, avocado, hardboiled eggs, sunflower seeds, olives, croutons or candied nuts on their salads. All of these ingredients are tasty and acceptable salad toppings, but these ingredients are the ones you will want to portion out and include in moderation.
Having too much of any of these ingredients can quickly make your salad a high-calorie meal comparable to a cheeseburger and fries. This is something that many people do not consider when eating salads. Salad bars can be especially dangerous for this reason! People often load up on extra tasty ingredients like toasty croutons, creamy feta cheese, or marinated olives.
Hidden Calories
Let’s talk about salads that people assume to be healthy, but that actually include hidden calories. Some salads include extra tasty ingredients like fried chicken tenders, oil-soaked tuna, or fried wonton strips. It is important to pay attention to all the ingredients in your salad.
Remember, when eating in a restaurant, you can often ask to sub out one ingredient for another or request that the higher calorie ingredients come on the side so that you can choose how much to add. You should always consider how the proteins in your salad are prepared and what types of ingredients your chosen dressing is made of.
15 Salads That Are Good for Weight Loss
Most salads have leafy greens as their base, but salads can combine many things. As long as you consider what makes a salad good or bad for weight loss, you should have fun with your salad and try a variety of options. Even a potato or pasta salad can be a healthy, weight-loss-friendly meal option.
Enjoy this list of 15 salad recipes that are good for weight loss!
- Mason Jar Salad for Meal Prep
- Healthy Taco Salad
- Healthy Broccoli Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing
- Spring Green Salad with Honey Vinaigrette
- Strawberry Salad with Chia Seed Vinaigrette
- Colorful Chopped Thai Salad With Peanut Dressing
- Steak Cobb Salad With Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Cold Lentil Salad | A Colorful Superfood Experience
- Summer Corn Edamame Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
- Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad
- Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
- Asian Cucumber Salad | Very Fresh And Crisp
- Caprese Salad | Simple, Clean Ingredients
- Beet & Goat Cheese Salad with White Wine Vinegar Dressing
- Leftover Turkey Salad With Cranberry Vinaigrette
Takeaways
Making a healthy salad that is loaded with the right amount of healthy fats and proteins does not have to be complicated. Once you have a good idea of which ingredients you should load up on and which ones you should limit or avoid, you will be making salads that are good for weight loss in no time.
Salads can be a great weight-loss food if you understand balance and portion control. They can be hearty and comforting or light and refreshing. No matter the season or weight loss goal, there is likely a salad out there for you and your dietary needs and taste preferences!
I encourage you to look at different salad and dressing recipes and use the information given about salads that are good for weight loss to create your own recipes and share them with others!
Comments
No Comments