Healthy Foods to Add to Your Green Salad
Who said salads have to be limited to the routine combination of iceberg lettuce and chopped tomatoes? A variety of additions can make salads more interesting and delicious, while also boosting their nutritional value.
Experimenting with different combinations of greens and healthy toppers might be all the motivation you need to eat salads more regularly. If you get it right, you might even find yourself foregoing a burger for a salad the next time you’re at your favourite burger restaurant.
Vegetables
Instead of the commonly used iceberg lettuce, add romaine, spinach, arugula, or watercress to your salad. Chop these herbs and vegetables and put them on your salad to boost the dietary content even further. Raw broccoli and cauliflower florets are a great source of vitamin C, which aids the absorption of iron which is naturally found in many greens. A few slices of red or yellow bell peppers will also add a lot more vitamin C to your salad, while shredded carrots supply betacarotene – an antioxidant that boosts immunity and supports eye health.
Protein
It’s recommended that adults consume between 46 and 56 grams of protein daily. Give yourself a protein boost by adding healthy meat choices such as chicken, which can contribute more than 20 grams of protein to your salad. Keep the portions to 100 grams if you’re also worried about the calorie count. Plant sources of protein that go well with other salad ingredients include black pinto and cannellini beans. Apart from protein, beans also provide dietary fibre, which helps keep you fuller for longer periods of time and aids digestion.
Fruit
Has the thought of adding fruit to a green salad ever crossed your mind? If so, there are plenty of fruit and vegetable combinations to explore. Sliced strawberries pair well with spinach leaves and are an excellent source of vitamin C. You can also combine orange slices with romaine and almonds, red bell pepper, and a sesame-oil dressing to create a tasty Asian-styled salad packed with vitamin C. Toss a few blueberries and walnuts to mixed greens and serve with a citrus-based vinaigrette for a light summer salad full of antioxidants. Pears, apples, raisins, and dried fruit are also great choices.
Seriously, there’s no reason for salads to be boring – not when you know how to jazz them up. And if you’re not up to the task of making your own salad from scratch, you can still use these tips to browse a restaurant menu more intently. Whatever the case, the objective should always be the same: Don’t let a bland salad land on your plate, no matter what.
