Is Your Salad Making you Fat?

You may think you're eating well because you only had a salad for dinner. If your greens are buried under heaps of dressing, croutons and cheese you can wind up with a salad that is equivalent in fat and calories to a fast-food burger.

Here's a great example. If you choose McDonald's Southwest Salad with crispy chicken & dressing it will cost you 530 calories and 26 grams of fat, which is more than a Quarter Pounder. Instead, try the Cesar Salad with grilled chicken and no dressing for only 220 calories and 6 grams of fat.

The key is to pick lower fat, nutrient rich ingredients and set limits on your toppings. Stick to 1 TBSP of low-fat dressing and one ounce of aged cheese or avocado or a quarter cup of unsalted nuts. Feta or aged parmesan will give you lots of flavour and may end up saving you calories because you don't use as much. Adding some complex carbs like couscous or protein-packed quinoa will keep you feeling fuller longer. If you're trying to lean out, you should also add 3 ounces of lean protein to top off your salad like eggs, black beams, tuna, or skinless chicken breast.

If you have any good salad or salad dressing recipes, please send them my way!