Eating salads to lose weight, you should avoid these 11 “toppings”

Salad is considered one of the dishes that support effective weight loss, but do not forget to exclude the ingredients that cause weight gain that we accidentally add to the plate of fresh vegetables.

When starting to plan healthy eating, most of us choose to add salad to our daily menu. In particular, we have a strong belief that eating salad will lose weight. However, many homemade salads or restaurant meals are full of fat and calories. And so we gain weight, instead of losing it!

Exactly how many calories are in a salad? The numbers are very different. Here are some concrete figures to help you visualize.

Calories in salads

• Basic salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber (cucumber), carrot, red bell pepper, and low- or no-calorie dressing (like fresh lemon juice or vinegar): 125 calories.
• Chicken Salad (Oriental Chicken Varieties) with Deep-Fried Chicken: 1,440 calories.
• Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad: 770 calories.
• Taco Salad: 830 calories.
• Cobb Salad: 1,130 calories.
• Greek Salad: 500 calories.

Of course, the ingredients and sauces you choose will change the calorie count of the salad. In addition, the portion size is more or less is also a problem.

If you want to lose weight faster, you should avoid the mistake of preparing salad with the 11 “toppings” below. Although they are common ingredients in many salads, they add very little nutritional value to the meal. Instead, they just add unnecessary fat and “useless” calories.

Salad topping 1: Bacon

Bacon in any salad adds a significant amount of fat and calories

Adding bacon to your favorite weight loss salad can add 400 calories and 30g of fat to your total nutrition. Of course, the number will depend on the amount of meat added, but this ingredient will certainly increase the amount of fat and calories significantly.

So are bacon-like toppings better for a weight loss diet? Not necessarily! Many processed (flavored) bacon are not actually made from meat, so they offer no nutritional benefits at all. In fact, some contain a mixture of trans fats, salt, and even sugar. So please ignore the types “toppings“ salty, fatty, but add nutritious, low-calorie vegetables like radishes or bell peppers.

Salad topping 2: Crispy toast

If you like to use crispy bread with a salad, you should bake it instead of deep frying

In fact, toast isn’t the worst culprit when it comes to dietary disasters, but it adds calories from processed grains without providing any nutritional benefits. which care. Oftentimes, breadcrumbs are deep-fried instead of toasted, adding unnecessary fat.

If you’re making your own salad at home, be wary of pre-made toasts that look nutritious or low in calories. When you sprinkle toast crumbs on a salad with the usual amount we use, you’ve added 100 calories or more!

If you like the crunchiness in your salad, try adding 1-2 tablespoons of whole grains instead!

Salad topping 3: Anything crispy

Shrimps are very nutritious, as long as you don’t fry them with a lot of fat!

Chicken is a nutritious ingredient for salads. Shrimp is a nutritious ingredient for salads. Fish is also a nutritious ingredient for salads. But when you deep fry in oil, these ingredients are no longer nutritious at all!

Fried foods are full of extra fat and calories, even if you use healthy oils.

The best way to avoid fried foods when eating a salad is to be alert when reading the menu (if you’re dining out). Any dish with words such as: “crunchy”, “fried”, “breaded”… are almost all fried. If you’re not sure, ask the restaurant’s kitchen and ask for a barbecue instead.

When making a salad at home, you can add protein to your greens without consuming too many calories, such as 100g grilled chicken breast, 100g salmon, 1 hard-boiled egg, 1/3 cup beans (about 45g) .

Salad topping 4: Fatty cream sauce

Weight loss diet should be “absence” of fatty salad dressings

Even if you’ve prepared a salad bowl full of healthy and nutritious ingredients, you can easily “ruin” with a basic cream sauce.

If you think fat-free salad dressings are better, think again! Many brands of prepared salad dressings have added sugar to make up for the removed fat. And the calories won’t be low! Some varieties contain up to 60-80 calories in 2 tablespoons.

If you like sauces, use a homemade salad dressing, or make your own low-calorie cream sauce. It’s better not to have cream sauce at all, friends, because I’m in need of a salad to lose weight!

Salad topping 5: Processed meats

Protein added to salads for weight loss is better not to choose from processed meat sources

Adding protein to a salad is a great idea, but processed cold cuts aren’t the best choice. Smoked meat (salami) is one of the popular cold cuts added to salads served at restaurants. A thin slice of salami adds 43 calories and 3 grams of fat to a meal. This number may not seem very high, but the typical salad plate has 4-5 slices of bacon.

If you still prefer cold cuts, choose chicken, turkey, or possibly ham. But don’t forget that most deli meats are relatively high in salt. Therefore, those who are looking to reduce sodium intake should replace processed cold meat with home-baked meat.

Salad topping 6: Wonton

Fried wontons? Goodbye!

Some restaurants serve salads with deep-fried wontons topped with vegetables. Either way, the amount of fat and calories in the salad will increase.

So you can’t order these salads? The answer is “yes”, but no fried wontons at all! That way, you’ll avoid 100-200 calories and 7 – 3g of fat.

Salad topping 7: Honey toppings

Meat and nuts soaked in honey before being grilled also contribute to slowing down the weight loss journey with salads

Some salads include honey-roasted chicken, honey-roasted ham, or honey-soaked nuts. Better yet, don’t use it if you want to control your sugar levels and limit empty calories.

If you’d like to add nuts, a sprinkle of raw almonds or walnuts will suffice. The salad will be more delicious without excess sugar and calories.

Salad topping 8: Cheese

Be sure to buy real cheese when you add it to your weight loss salad

Cheese isn’t exactly an “unhealthy topping” in a salad. Popular cheeses like Cheddar provide protein and calcium, but it’s also a source of saturated fat. So, if you add cheese to your salad, be careful about the amount. We’re hardly good at estimating or measuring per serving, so it’s best to skip the cheese, friends!

If you still prefer sprinkling more cheese, follow these instructions:

• First, make sure it’s real cheese. Some foods have a cheese flavor but are not cheese. They have no nutritional benefits, on the contrary, are full of fat.
• Second, measure out the cheese before adding it to the salad. A serving of cheese is only about 28g. You should use an electronic scale to weigh accurately.

Salad topping 9: Beef

If you want to add beef to your salad, grill it instead of sautéing it in oil

While beef can be part of a healthy weight loss diet, beef added to salads is often not exactly lean and can be very high in saturated fat and calories. If you want to make a beef salad, buy the tenderloin without fat and grill it instead of sautéing it in oil.

Salad topping 10: Dried fruit

Adding dried fruit to a salad will increase the amount of sugar absorbed

When you eat berries, the water, along with nutrients and fiber, is good for weight loss. But with dehydrated fruits, such as raisins, dates and other dried fruits, they become “dense sugar bombs” and, importantly, very appealing to the taste buds. Adding dried fruit to a salad is also adding sugar.

Salad topping 11: Pasta, noodles

Replace pasta with quinoa when you want to eat salad to lose weight

Noodles can be healthy, but you should use less processed grains, if you want to feel full longer. Instead of adding pasta, you can add quinoa.

How to make salads always nutritious and fresh?

If you’re dining out and ordering a salad but don’t want to get fat because of some unexpected ingredients, politely ask to add or subtract ingredients to your liking.

In your kitchen, to prepare a “smart” salad to help you lose weight, don’t forget these 5 tips:

Meats added to salads should be prepared as simply as possible

1. Choose the most nutritious green vegetables

Forget about bud lettuce for a while, friends. This vegetable can be high in pesticides, low in nutrients and fiber. Try spinach or kale instead. The general rule of thumb is that the darker a vegetable is, the higher the nutrient level.

2. Add some non-starchy vegetables

Add assorted salads such as cucumbers (cucumbers), radishes, bell peppers, mushrooms… This colorful salad will be a healthy slimming companion.

3. Choose lean, clean protein

Meats added to salads should be prepared as simply as possible. Avoid deep frying, dipping in sugary sauces.

4. Choose the right fat

Good fats keep you full and burn fat faster. These fats are found in avocados, slow-roasted or dehydrated nuts, and omega-3-rich wild salmon. Skip the pre-mixed salad dressings with lots of sugar and preservatives. Instead, you can make your own sauce with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar.

5. Finally, the low-carb, slow-carb varieties

Carbs that are high in fiber and full of nutrients like black beans, quinoa or chickpeas… will make your salad more varied and delicious.

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Reference source

The Worst Salad Ingredients for Weight Loss https://www.verywellfit.com/the-worst-salad-ingredients-for-weight-loss-3495221 Accessed: 17/3/2020

5 Worst Salad Ingredients (And 5 Better Choices You Can Make) https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/g20429916/5-worst-salad-ingredients/ Accessed: 17/3/2020

The Absolute Worst Salad Toppings for Weight Loss https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/absolute-worst-salad-toppings-weight-loss? Access date: 17/3/2020