Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Build a Healthful Salad



I have a favorite book I've been reading through lately - Complete Food and Nutrition Guide (click here to go to Amazon.com and buy it for around $16)- and last night I found this cool list of how to build a healthy salad at a salad bar.

A few "stats" first: Did you know - a do-it-yourself salad, chosen from the salad bar, often has more calories than a deluxe burger, fries, and a shake, or a steak-and-potato dinner?! An average salad bar plate can top out at more than 1,000 calories, depending on your choices and portions. And one more - salads have been reported to be a main source of dietary FAT for many women. (!)

So, here is the table they have in the book. Now, if you'd like to get a better, printable, copy of this, just email me at nafari01(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Greens
Bean Sprouts (1/4 cup), 8 calories, trace fat
Lettuce (1 cup), 8 calories, trace fat
Spinach (1 cup), 7 calories, trace fat

Other Veggies
Artichoke hearts (1/4 cup), 20 calories, trace fat
Beets (1/4 cup), 20 calories, 0 fat
Bell peppers (2 tbsp.), 5 calories, trace fat
Broccoli (1/4 cup), 8 calories, trace fat
Carrots, shredded (1/4 cup), 10 calories, trace fat
Cauliflowers (1/4 cup), 6 calories, trace fat
Cucumbers (1/4 cup), 4 calories, trace fat
Green peas (2 tbsp.), 15 calories, trace fat
Mushrooms (1/4 cup), 4 calories, trace fat
Onions (1 tbsp.), 4 calories, 0 fat
Radishes (2 tbsp.), 2 calories, trace fat
Tomatoes (1/4 cup), 8 calories, trace fat

Fruits
Avocados (1/4 cup), 60 calories, 6 grams fat
Canned peaches, in juice (1/4 cup), 25 calories, trace fat
Fresh melons (1/4 cup), 15 calories, trace fat
Fresh strawberries (1/4 cup), 10 calories, trace fat
Mandarin oranges, in juice (1/4 cup), 20 calories, trace fat
Olives, ripe (2 tbsp.), 20 calories, 2 grams fat
Raisins (2 tbsp.), 60 calories, trace fat

Beans, Nuts, and Seeds
Almonds, slices (1 tbsp.), 55 calories, 5 grams fat
Chickpeas (1/4 cup), 65 calories, 1 gram fat
Kidney beans (1/4 cup), 55 calories, trace fat
Sunflower seeds (1 tbsp.), 45 calories, 4 grams fat
Tofu (raw, firm) (1/4 cup), 90 calories, 6 grams fat

Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Eggs
Eggs, chopped (2 tbsp.), 25 calories, 2 grams fat
Lean ham, chopped (1 oz.), 40 calories, 2 grams fat
Popcorn shrimp (1 oz.), 30 calories, <1 gram fat
Surimi (1 oz.), 30 calories, <1 gram fat
Tuna in spring water (1 oz.), 35 calories, <1 gram fat
Turkey in strips (1 oz.), 40 calories, <1 gram fat

Cheese
Cheddar cheese, grated (2 tbsp.), 55 calories, 5 grams fat
Cottage cheese, creamed (1/4 cup), 60 calories, 2 grams fat
Cottage cheese, 1% low-fat (1/4 cup), 40 calories, <1 gram fat
Feta cheese (2 tbsp.), 50 calories, 4 grams fat
Mozzarella cheese, grated (part skim) (2 tbsp.), 45 calories, 3 grams fat
Parmesan cheese (2 tbsp.), 45 calories, 3 grams fat

Others
Bacon bits (1 tbsp.), 25 calories, 2 grams fat
Chow mein noodles (1 tbsp.), 15 calories, <1 gram fat
Croutons, seasoned (2 tbsp.), 25 calories, 1 gram fat

Mixed Salads
Potato (w/mayo) (1/4 cup), 90 calories, 5 grams fat
Three-bean (in vinaigrette) (1/4 cup), 60 calories, 0 fat
Tuna salad (w/mayo) (1/4 cup), 95 calories, 5 grams fat

Dressings
Blue cheese, regular (2 tbsp.), 150 calories, 16 grams fat
French, regular (2 tbsp.), 145 calories, 14 grams fat
Italian, fat-free (2 tbsp.), 15 calories, <1 gram fat
Italian, regular (2 tbsp.), 85 calories, 8 grams fat
Lemon juice (2 tbsp.), 6 calories, 0 fat
Oil and vinegar (2 tbsp.), 145 calories, 16 grams fat
Thousand Island, regular (2 tbsp.), 120 calories, 11 grams fat
Vinegar (2 tbsp.), 6 calories, 0 fat

Imagine a salad bar with bowls and bowls of ingredients. Your plate is empty. How would you build your salad? When your plate is full, add up the calories and fat - you might be surprised.

I find this very helpful. Notice that they don't even list Ranch Dressing! A few suggestions:
1. Pace yourself. Check out the salad bar from end to end before you even begin filling up your plate.
2. Use a small salad plate, not a dinner plate.
3. Start with greens. Dark-green leafy veggies such as spinach and romaine supply more nutrients and phytonutrients than iceberg lettuce does.
4. Spoon on plenty of brightly colored veggies, legumes, and fruits for their nutrient, fiber, and phytonutrient benefits. They are low in fats, too.
5. Make it a hearty salad with protein-rich ingredients: legumes, lean meat, turkey, crabmeat or surimi, tuna, eggs, and cheese. Cottage cheese, other cheese, and yogurt on the salad bar also add calcium.
6. Lighten up on higher-fat toppings and mayonnaise-based side salads.
7. Dress your salad for success! A 2-tablespoon ladle of French, Italian, Blue cheese, or Thousand Island dressing adds about 150 calories to an otherwise low-calorie salad. Too often, people spoon on double or triple that amount and overpower the delicate flavor of the salad ingredients. Go easy, try a low-fat or fat-free dressing - or sprinkle on just a splash of flavored vinegar or lemon juice.

I hope this helps to make your salads better! Again, if you want a printable copy, email me. Have a successful day (I think I'll go make a salad for lunch!).

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1 comment:

  1. CindyJanuary 14, 2010 at 8:07 PM

    I never realized that you could be so wrong by eating a salad! Good info!

    ReplyDelete

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Weight Watchers - The ABCs of Weight Loss

I read this in the Weight Watcher magazine July/August 2008, and thought there were some great suggestions here. These were all contributed by successful WW members)...

A - Ask questions (when dining out, don't be afraid to ask your server how a dish is prepared - and request it without sauce or oil).

B - Budget for snacks - you don't have to give up all of your favorite treats, just plan ahead.

C - Cancel the pity party - when you're down about your weight, remind yourself that everyone struggles.

D - Distract yourself - If you're hungry, call a friend, go for a walk, write a letter or email, etc. You'll notice that the hunger usually passes in a matter of minutes.

E - Eat slowly - put the fork down between bites, be more aware of how much you're putting in your mouth.

F - Focus on the presentation - arrange your food creatively, use a larger plate and spread your portions more artfully, it will help you feel more satisfied.

G - Give the new habits time - make a commitment to stick to your new regimen for at least 6 months, it often takes that long for revamped eating or exercise habits to feel natural.

H - Hang out with optimists - The can-do spirit is contagious.

I - Inspire yourself - brainstorm a list of activities you've been putting off because of your weight - it will provide a built-in incentive to slim down.

J - Join up - exercise with others - this often provides a sense of accountibility.

K - Keep your focus - as you lose weight, notice what you're gaining - a healthier diet, slimmer profile, or a new love of exercise.

L - Lighten up your favorite - Use cookbooks that can show you low-fat, healthier versions of your favorite dishes.

M - Make over your kitchen - get rid of trigger foods (those you often overeat) and restock your kitchen with healthy items.

N - Navigate out of your comfort zone - try a new exercise once a week.

O - Opt for the 10-minute rule - Even if you don't feel like it, get moving for at least 10 minutes.

P - Push yourself to try at least one new fruit or vegetable each week - expand your culinary repertoire in a healthy, low-calorie way.

Q - Quit the clean-plate club - stop eating once you're satisfied, and you won't eat tons of extra calories.

R - Reward yourself - if you are looking for a snack after dinner, give yourself a manicure or pedicure instead!

S - Stand up to food pushers - if a host pressures you to eat something you'd rather avoid, tell her you'll try something else on the table - compliment her, and she'll be distracted.

T - Treat your body like a temple - exercise and take care of yourself as if you were an athlete.

U - Use your lunch break wisely - spend half of your lunch break walking.

V - View sweet treats wisely - if you want to shed pounds, you can't eat sweets whenever you like. Find a low - calorie substitute that you can have every day, or limit rich desserts to once a week.

W - Write a gratitude list - each day, jot down 3 to 5 things in your life that you're grateful for.

X - Xerox your exercise moves - find exercise routines you'd like to try in books and magazines, and make copies, then refer to these when you need new moves.

Y - Yearn to accept where you are now - when you fell discouraged by your rate of progress, try to accept and appreciate yourself at your current weight. This might help you hang in there until you start losing weight again.

Z - Zero in on your body - Don't wear big baggy clothes - wearing clothes that fit well to remind yourself of your diet and fitness goals - and the slimmer body your are striving for.

GOOD LUCK!