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Deceptive Diet Choices – High Calorie Salads

high calorie salad dressing

You may think that you are choosing the healthy option when you select a salad from the menu, but are you really? You can see your plate and it certainly looks healthy with all of the green leaves and chopped vegetables but are you sure it’s really healthy? Let us analyze what a healthy diet salad should contain. Thus will help you avoid deceptive diet choices like high calorie salads.

Basic Mistakes
When you ordered your salad did you ask whether it came with a dressing on it? By the time it gets to your table it could already be coated in a calorie rich oil based dressing. If you do want a dressing on your salad, ask for a vinegar based dressing with herbs – it’s much tastier and far healthier.

When you placed your order did you notice whether the salad came with croutons? They may just be little squares of bread, but they are at first fried off in oils and occasionally re-baked in the oven with a further generous drizzle of oil. Once they hit your salad and its oily dressing, those seemingly harmless little squares of bread have been soaked in oil three times over.

Other than the oils to watch out for on your healthy salad you should make sure that it comes minus any avocado, not only is this fattening on its own, but it also has a habit of absorbing any dressing too. Other fat laden extras include cheese and nuts. Just because you have ordered a salad it doesn’t mean that it is any healthier or less fattening than a steak with fries.

Ask the Questions
Make sure you ask all the right questions when you place your order try and ensure that your salad is as healthy as it sounds on the menu. Ask about the dressing and if you can’t avoid having a dressing opt for an oil free one. If it does arrive with croutons take them off before you start eating, and make sure there are no hidden extras like grated cheese, or chopped nuts thrown in there just to bulk it up… and forget about ordering a waldorf salad!

You would think that a salad would automatically be a healthy option but it’s not necessarily true. Dressings, mayonnaise, nuts, cheese, avocado and croutons are just a few of the usual suspects that can ramp up the amount of calories contained in this allegedly healthy dish. Be aware of what you are ordering and remember that you do not have to accept what comes as ‘standard’ by any means.

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