Key Ingredients to Get the Most out of a Salad

A salad is just a salad until it’s not. So many people misunderstand the concept of salad. Sure, it’s good for you. But it’s not always good for you. The concept is there, but the good health and the nutrition is not always there. Sometimes a salad is so unhealthy it’s not even funny. Sometimes it really is just a healthy salad. It all just depends on what’s in it. Some people choose to make their salads so elaborately and so beautifully that they forget that it’s supposed to be healthy. It’s not supposed to be something that’s pretty or gorgeous or even entertaining, it’s just supposed to be healthy. It’s easy to forget in the quest to make the perfect salad. If you’ve forgotten that too much of a good thing might actually be too much, we can help you remember that salad should be healthy; not unhealthy. If you want to make a healthy salad that’s still delicious, let us help you choose some ingredients that are key to good health. You won’t regret adding these to your next healthy meal; especially in a salad.

Start with the Base

There are so many different varieties you can add to the base of your salad to make sure it is delicious and green, and you don’t have to choose just one. Lettuce is common, and it’s good for you. Spinach is also a great base for salad, as is romaine and arugula. If you want to make the healthiest salad imaginable, however, you are going to want to make a base that’s a mixture of romaine and spinach and arugula. Dark, leafy greens are the best base for any salad, and they will provide you with the most possible nutrients so that your health is never called into question when eating a decadent salad.

Carrots

It doesn’t matter if they are shredded or they are cut, just add some carrots to your salad. You might not like them and leave them out. You might love them and add them regularly; and that’s great. These are a great addition to any salad, especially since carrots have been linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers that are potentially very dangerous. For example, women who eat carrots regularly are more than 50% less likely to develop ovarian cancer throughout their lives. Women who eat carrots regularly are also less likely to suffer from kidney disease as they age. It’s really simple; just add a few carrots to your meal and you will figure out just how healthy you can really become.

Beans

Most people skip the beans on their salad, and for good reason. Many people are not fans of beans and others never really considered them a salad topping. Traditionally, beans are not a salad topping. However, beans are filled with good nutrients such as protein. This is going to help you feel fuller faster so that you eat less, feel full and stay fit and trim. It’s a great way to help yourself look good longer, and to feel good about your body. Beans are also a great source of plenty of other nutrients that have some serious health benefits, such as benefits you can see in your skin, your hair and your overall mood. Eating beans means you could be healthier, and being healthier means you can actually live a happier life all around.

Avocado

That’s a bit of a surprise, is it not?  Many people choose to forgo adding avocados to their daily diet thanks largely to the fact that they are often considered to be so unhealthy as far as fat goes. However, they are such a healthy food all around. Since most of the items in a traditional salad are missing fat, you do need to add something to your meal that will encourage a little fat and help you consume a bit. This helps with the absorption of carotenoids, which fight cancer. The thing to remember here is that avocado is very caloric, which means you’re going to want to add them lightly to your salad and you’re going to want to avoid anything else that’s high in fat, such as cheese or other toppings of that nature.

Tomato

It’s red and juicy and delicious, so why not add some to your salad? Aside from the fact that tomatoes are pretty much synonymous with salad, they’re actually pretty good for you, too. Lycopene is something you find in tomatoes. It might sound like something you’ve never heard of, probably can’t spell and don’t want anything to do with, but that doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of life. No salad is complete without the lycopene added by tomatoes because this is something that is going to fight many forms of cancer, including some of the worst types, which can cause you the most stress and the most financial hardship in addition to poor health.

Vinaigrette and Olive Oil

Instead of using salad dressing on your salad, mix a bit of your favorite vinaigrette with a little olive oil and use that to cover your salad in good health. Not only is this a great way to fight off certain illnesses and disease, it’s also a great way to add a bit of health to your salad and remove some of the least health things you can possibly have on a salad. Not all dressing is bad, and this is a great example of that. You will want to, however, skip the heavy, creamy dressings and choose dressings like this instead. It’s what’s going to lower the calorie count, the lack of good nutrition and the counter-effect of a good salad. While you’re at it, you might want to go ahead and skip out on the croutons as well. Anything breaded or cheesy should be left off the top of your salad since it’s not all that healthy. Go ahead and have a second helping of this delicious salad since it’s the one that’s really good for you anyway.

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