{"id":82708,"date":"2018-07-04T04:50:41","date_gmt":"2018-07-04T11:50:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/?p=82708"},"modified":"2022-02-18T04:58:30","modified_gmt":"2022-02-18T11:58:30","slug":"7-tips-to-help-you-build-a-better-salad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/articles\/general-topics\/7-tips-to-help-you-build-a-better-salad\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Tips To Help You Build A Better Salad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
We hate to break it to you, but not every salad is healthy<\/a>. Often times, people overload their salads with croutons, cheese, fried toppings, and high calorie dressings. Rather than making a healthy bowl of greens, people end up making salads that are greasy and heavy, exceeding 800 calories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A salad is the perfect vehicle to obtain three or four servings of vegetables in one go. Salads are not boring<\/a> because there are endless, tasty, and interesting variations. Whether you are using seasonal ingredients or some salad classics like tomatoes, celery, bell peppers, and cucumbers, salads are meant to be celebrated, not boring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are key ingredients that make the base of your salads. Start with fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, and homemade dressing. You get bonus points for adding healthy grains, nuts and seeds, and other colorful additions. The proportions and combinations are up to you. Use some of the following tips to help elevate your salads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First off, steer clear of iceberg and other pale lettuce varieties. They are less nutritious than the greens you should be using. If you are using lettuce, try darker or redder lettuces (romaine or leaf lettuces) because they are rich in vitamin C<\/a>, folate, and potassium. If you don\u2019t want to use lettuce, change up the game with mixed greens, spinach, kale mix, or arugula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adding crunch doesn\u2019t mean topping your salads with croutons, tortilla strips, wonton chips, or fried noodles. These ingredients are high in sodium, fat, and they are low in nutrients. Add crunch to your salads with things like broccoli florets, alfalfa sprouts, purple cabbage, cucumbers, sunflower or chia seeds, celery, snap peas, or raw walnuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adding protein doesn\u2019t mean that you have to add meat<\/a>. Cheese is full of fat, eggs are filled with hormones, and tofu is genetically modified. Get a healthy dose of fiber and protein when you add black beans, lentils, or chickpeas to your salads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The great thing about adding color to your salads<\/a> is that you get a wide variety of phytonutrients, which act as antioxidants that work to decrease oxidative stress in the body. Color up your salad by adding things like pomegranate seeds, avocado slices, beets, tomatoes, bell peppers, or red onion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try to avoid using white potatoes because they are high in starch. Use chopped sweet potatoes in place of them because they are delicious and rich in beta-carotene. Great leftovers to add to your salads include roasted Brussels sprouts, saut\u00e9ed asparagus, or roasted sweet potatoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can add dried fruit to your salads, but you have to be careful because dried fruits can contain lots of sugar and preservatives. Dried fruit should be unsulfured and free of added sugars. You can\u2019t go wrong with fresh fruit, so it can be beneficial to add strawberries, blueberries, nectarines, apples, pears, or blackberries to your salads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people use dressings that are rich in fats, calories, processed ingredients, and added sugars. Making your own dressings<\/a> is not time consuming and it is healthier for you. You can use avocado, coconut, or olive oils to obtain heart-healthy fats<\/a>. You can also use fresh lemon or lime juice, along with apple cider, balsamic, or red wine vinegars. Season with sea salt and black pepper, in addition to whatever seasonings you enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n#1: Start Off Strong<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#2: Add Some Crunch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#3: Pack With Protein<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#4: Give It Color<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#5: Fold In Leftovers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#6: Freshen With Fruit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#7: Dress It Well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n