Can’t go wrong with a salad for lunch or dinner? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that? If you combine the greens with the following six ingredients, you will fall straight into the calorie trap
A salad as a light main meal is almost always a good choice because, in contrast to pasta dishes with cream sauce or a significant portion of French fries, it is not heavy on the stomach. Unfortunately, this does not apply to every salad – especially not to salads from the restaurant or the delivery service you have not prepared yourself.
While lettuce is low in calories, the following 6 ingredients can make sure that you break your calorie balance:
Reduce The Amount Of Cheese
There is generally nothing wrong with cheese in salads, as mozzarella & Co. are good protein sources: Depending on the type, cheese provides up to 35 percent protein per 100 grams. But, as is so often the case, the amount is decisive here too. A whole mozzarella ball or half a pack of feta cheese quickly ends up in the salad. One forgets that cheese contains a lot of protein and is also very high in calories and fat. So please pay close attention to the amount of cheese when it comes to cheese.
Tip: Harz cheese is also a good choice in salads: it has a protein content of 30 percent and only 130 calories per 100 grams.
Do Not Incorporate Too Many Sources Of Fat
whether salmon, avocado or nuts: Healthy fats, such as the well-known omega-3 fatty acids, should not only end up on the plate of athletes every day. Don’t forget: Both the “good” fats from avocado & Co. and the “bad” (trans) fats from fast food and chips contain not only fat but also a lot of calories.
Half an avocado already provides around 27 grams of fat. Do you want salmon in a salad? Attention: 100 grams of salmon fillet contains 14 grams of fat. If you like, garnish the salad with a few nuts or kernels: 20 grams of walnuts provide around 12 grams of fat, 20 grams of pine nuts around 10 grams and the same amount of pecans, even around 15 grams of fat. And don’t forget the dressing – for every tablespoon of oil, there are 12 grams of fat on top.
You should not exceed your daily requirement (around 80 grams) of fat. Otherwise, you will notice it on the scales.
Let The Bread Basket Go Back
Since a salad alone is not filling, bread is a popular side dish. A mistake because this is how you turn a healthy low-carb meal into a carbohydrate bomb. You can safely do without baguette or ciabatta because types of bread made from wheat flour only provide short-chain carbohydrates, which will not keep you full for long.
Do you find it challenging to go without bread, especially in a restaurant? No wonder it always comes before you eat, and you pass the waiting time with empty carbohydrates. It gets even worse when herb butter or aioli are served with it. Just let the breadbasket go back and order a few olives to snack on.
Avoid Breaded Protein Suppliers
Protein-rich ingredients such as turkey, chicken, egg or tofu belong in every good fitness salad. Proteins keep you full for a long time and at the same time stimulate fat burning. One crucial exception: shrimp or chicken should not be breaded, deep-fried or wrapped in any crispy coating.
We also know that fried foods are amazingly delicious, but remember that they are also high in calories. And you can save yourself that! Look very carefully at the description of the ingredients in the restaurant (“crispy” chicken, panko prawns, etc.) or ask the waiter before you fall into the fat trap.
Avoid Ready-Made Dressing
Sure, salad dressings from the supermarket are practical when things have to be done quickly or on the go. But if you pour your salad generously with herbal, French or Sylt dressing, you will add a good portion of extra calories. In addition to mayo, crème fraiche or cream, many ready-made products also often contain hidden sugar: each piece (30 milliliters) contains up to 2 sugar cubes – depending on the type and manufacturer.
Do you only use light versions? That’s no better because artificial sweeteners are no healthier than sugar. In addition, there are flavors, stabilizers and other additives that have no added value for your body.
And what about the little sachets of salad dressing powder that you can mix? Take a look at the list of ingredients: Sugar often appears at the top and is, therefore, the main dressing component.
Avoid Croutons As A Topping
They give the crunchy greens an additional crunch, but the problem is that the small bread cubes are fried in plenty of butter and soak up a lot of fat. Ready-to-use croutons are no better either. Here we have selected the list of ingredients for a product that is currently on the shelves. “Wheat flour, vegetable fat (palm), salt, herbs, sweet whey powder, yeast extract, spices, yoghurt powder, celery, flavor, sugar, yeast, rapeseed oil.” A mix of yeast extract, environmentally harmful palm oil, flavors and sugar. That is anything but healthy.
How To Do It Right: These Ingredients Belong In Your Salad
Salad is always a good choice, whether in a restaurant or at home, for lunch or a light, low-carb dinner. Provided you choose the right ingredients:
In addition to a salad or salad mix as a base, vegetables of all kinds, such as tomatoes, peppers and radishes, should of course not be missing. This also includes a healthy source of protein, such as turkey or chicken, beef, egg, boiled ham, shrimp or tofu. Top your salad with a few nuts or seeds – not too much. You can mix vinegar and oil dressing with herbs and grate a few parmesan shavings over it – your filling salad is ready.
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