5 Ways you’re making your salad unhealthy!

Salads are a healthy yet delicious combination of fresh green veggies high in fiber and nutrition. Top your salad with some locally available fruits to make it colorful and a perfectly balanced sweet and sour salad is ready. But things don’t stop here. Copying the western tradition, we Indians have started adding a wide variety of toppings such as croutons, chips, dressings, and cheesy sauces. This does more harm to your health than any good leaving you in an illusion of a healthy diet. Here are a few mistakes you might be making and some healthy alternatives for the same that you can easily apply to your everyday salad recipe.

1. Dressing

The dressing on your salad can make or break your salad. Adding a tasteful combination of dressings can turn your veggie-based salad into a delicious meal but you should avoid these sauces as much as you can because they contain almost no nutritional benefit. Replace these artificial flavors with olive oil or vinegar.

2. Cheese

One may argue that no salad is completed without a cheesy topping or a creamy sauce but cheese contains truckloads of fats and calories. Try to avoid as much cheese as you can. Schedule your cheesy meals for your cheat days and not in your everyday salad.

3. Crunchies

Picking up the healthiest crunch for your salad is the most difficult task because most people go wrong at this step. Ingredients such as croutons, nachos, and taco strips will make your salad taste extremely delicious but also adds a whole lot of unwanted carbs and fats. Replace them with unsalted walnuts or edible seeds.

4. Dried fruit

Dried fruits are often preserved and contain artificial sugars. This may do no good to your healthy and crunchy meal. It is very important to choose the correct topping. Fresh fruits like grapes, pomegranate, strawberries, and oranges will add color to your salad and will add a nice splash of sweet and sour taste.

5. Greens

Have you noticed? Almost all salads have iceberg lettuce as the common ingredient, but if you dive deep into the nutritional benefits of lettuce, you will get to know that lettuce just adds a nice crunch to your salad. Lettuce has practically no nutrients or fibers present. 

What should be the replacement then?

The best greens for your body are the locally available greens that are darker in color. For example, spinach, coriander, leaf lettuce, and kale would be a powerful nutrient-packed addition to your healthy snack. Or you could order the deliciously healthy salads with wholesome greens and hand-crafted dressings, right here from ACTIVeat salad bowl plans!

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Should You Eat Salads for Breakfast ?

Eating salads for breakfast is becoming super trendy these days. They are super convenient to prepare and you can munch them while traveling to your work. The yummy combination of nutritious vegetables topped with sauces and nuts is a great way to start your day. They boost your mood and productivity, improve your digestion, and even help you lose weight.

Replacing your breakfast with a salad is the easiest way to add more whole foods to your diet. Read on to find out :

1. Salads boost your mood and productivity

What we eat for breakfast is a major mood enhancer and helps our productivity. Breakfast foods containing complex carbs also help us elevate memory, attention, and information processing 

Research shows that green leafy vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, or cabbage provide some antidepressant benefits. Thus, adding them to your salads may further enhance your mood (1)

2. Enhances your digestion

Breakfast salads are rich in water and fiber, which can help your food to get digested easily. Fibers are either soluble or insoluble. Several foods contain both types of fiber Eg. 

• Soluble fiber: oats, beans, avocados, pears, apples, figs, bananas, sweet potatoes, hazelnuts, flax seeds, and sunflower seeds
• Insoluble fiber: whole grains, potatoes, beans, lentils, peas, most fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds

Depending on their ingredients, breakfast salads are likely rich in both types of fiber

3. Helps you lose weight

Salads are rich in fiber and water. They also require extensive chewing. Both these factors will help you reduce hunger and boost fullness, causing you to eat less. 

Fruits and vegetables, which are primarily added in most breakfast salads, have very few calories. This is the major reason why salads help you to lose weight. 

Breakfast salads replacing high-calorie, processed, quick breakfasts like pancakes or breakfast cereals rich in sugar becomes more beneficial in losing weight. 

4. Boosts your overall health and protects you from disease

Salads are an easy way to include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. The nutrients and plant compounds found in this delicious combination benefit your health and protects you from diseases. For example, leafy green vegetables common in salads may protect against mental decline, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. 

Keep in mind that eating foods that are high in fat or rich in sugar frequently may increase your risk of heart disease or cause you to develop more belly fat, a risk factor for many chronic illnesses.

Conclusion :

Salads can be a healthy replacement for your traditional breakfast and will help you keep your heart healthy and ward off other chronic diseases. Garnish your healthy greens with nutritious toppings and your bowl may offer several benefits like improved digestion, disease protection, and weight loss. Munching your bowl of fresh fruits and vegetables is super convenient to prepare and eat. Make sure you include a rich source of complex carbs, proteins, and healthy fats. If you’re interested in shaking up your breakfast routine, a salad makes for a great morning meal.

You can also subscribe to ACTIVeat Salad Bowl Plans and get a new salad every day of the week! Get your wholesome crunchy goodness with delicious combinations of healthy flavors, handcrafted dressings, and quality greens only with ACTIVeat! Explore Plans