Healthy Salad Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest salad you can eat? ›

Best: Black Bean-and-Avocado Salad

The beans are a good source of disease-fighting antioxidants, and they have protein and fiber, as well as energy-boosting iron. Avocado adds creaminess and fiber. Plus, its fats help your body take in nutrients, including heart-healthy lycopene.

Salads are touted as the ultimate healthy meal, even though it can fall short when it comes to nutrition. Yes, vegetables are undoubtedly an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, however this doesn't necessarily mean that you should be eating a bowl of veggies your main meal.

The premise is: one meal every day must be a salad. Preferably it's a salad you make at home. Going out for a salad is ok but encouraged only here and there over the 30 days. If you have dinner plans, make your salad for lunch if you can.

Two cups of romaine fulfill about 30 percent of your daily vitamin A, and nearly three-quarters of your vitamin K, per the USDA. To boost the nutritional value of your salad, mix romaine with some spinach or kale to pack in more antioxidants, or opt for a premixed blend.

There are five different categories of lettuce: loose-leaf, cos/romaine, butterhead, crisphead, and asparagus-stem lettuce. Romaine lettuce and lettuce greens are the most nutritious types of lettuce.

Choosing the Ingredients

"The most important thing for me in a salad is crisp, fresh greens," says Chef Joseph Buenconsejo, with whom I co-own Rooted Seeds Catering in Danbury, Connecticut. "They add texture and are the body of the salad." When shopping for salad ingredients, look for the freshest produce you can find.

Oil and vinegar.

“This is a great option, because it won't have any added sugar or salt,” says Allers. “But the type of oil is important. Opt for olive or avocado oil over an alternative like canola or soybean oil.” These healthy oils are packed with antioxidants, and can even help lower cholesterol.

Dressings are usually laden with sugar and filled with preservatives and unhealthy fat, and too often salads have additives like noodles, fried ingredients, taco chips or dried fruits. Often in restaurants salads are just a bunch of unhealthy ingredients assembled together -- think taco salad.

Crunchy Noodles, Wontons, and Tortilla Strips

“Crunchy noodles are like eating chips,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of Read 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).

Roasted veggies like beets, potatoes or squash add terrific flavor and a little bit of sweetness to any main meal salad. Grains - Warm or cold whole grains add bulk and satisfaction. Try whole wheat couscous, barley, quinoa, bulgur, sorghum or wild rice.

What to eat instead of salad? ›

Try veggies with hummus, salad dressing or yogurt-based dips. Add diced veggies such as mushrooms, onions, peppers or carrots to meatloaf or meatballs. Add vegetables as a topping on your pizza. Make a quick lettuce-free salad by adding salad dressing to matchstick carrots or sliced cucumbers.

The Truth About the Jennifer Aniston Salad

This matches up with what Courtney Cox shared in a 2010 interview, declaring that she, Lisa Kudrow, and Aniston ate lunch together every day while filming Friends and always ate the same thing: a “doctored-up” Cobb salad with chickpeas and turkey bacon.

Can you lose weight by eating a salad every day? "Eating salads on a daily basis as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may support gradual weight loss over time," says Karnatz. "This is because leafy greens are low in calories and high in volume and fiber, which will keep you satisfied for longer," she adds.

Salads made with a variety of fruits and vegetables make the perfect healthy lunch or dinner. That's because they're filled with tons of nutrients that benefit your body, like fiber, vitamin E, and vitamin C. These nutrients can work to lower your blood sugar, regulate cholesterol levels, and help you lose weight.

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest. The exception? We like products made with healthy swaps—think Greek yogurt in place of mayo or heavy cream.

If you're shopping for a bagged salad, you're doing a great thing for your health. Nonetheless, be mindful of the sodium content. While vegies contain next to no sodium, a salad's sodium content can increase drastically when dressing, noodles, cheese and croutons are added.