Yes, salads can make you fat, but ONLY if you are doing them wrong.
You can’t hate on salads. They are filled with antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and fiber. All benefits are packed in one place. You digest everything your body needs to stay healthy.
Sometimes we know how to overeat these salads. If you eat raw salad without any addition, your health will improve. When I say overeat I think about putting so much in them thinking they are healthy.
Yes, I’m talking about those dressings. Almost every time dressings are full of sugar and other ingredients that could make you gain weight.
Don’t get confused that are ingredients in the salads are healthy.
Here are the most common mistakes you all do while making or ordering a salad:
Mistake #1 – Too Much of the “good” thing
Focus more on the serving size. Not all serving sizes are created equal. Don’t overuse the good thing because it’s good. Keep a nice balance. Read here how to keep your pancreas healthy.
Mistake #2 – Not enough of a good thing
Sometimes your salads miss the essential things. Like, proteins. They are crucial for your healthy diet. Spice things up with nuts and seeds. Let them be your tasty dressing.
Mistake #3 – Avoiding All Carbs
They are the main source of fuel. Eating only few will lead to slumps in energy, weight gain, and binge eating.
Mistake #3 – Believing in the “Fat-free” dressing and marinades promise
The truth here is that sugar is added to low-calorie and fat-free dressings to make up for taste. The math says that they put up to 9 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons. This is equivalent to 6 teaspoons = 100 calories. As a reminder, the recommended daily allowance of sugar is:
- WOMEN: 6 teaspoons per day for women
- MEN: 9 teaspoons per day.
Mistake #4 – Over processed (fried) frenzy
The real problem here are the increased amounts of salt and unhealthy trans & saturated fats in:
- Croutons,
- Sesame sticks, and
- Crispy noodles
For example, a salad can have over 100 calories more if you add half a cup of crispy noodles or croutons.
Mistake #5 – Enjoying the toppings a little too much
The main problem here is the fact that toppings like candied nuts and raisins are loaded with sugar. They taste great, to be honest, but the sugar in it is a major cause of weight gain.
Mistake #6 – Say no to the mayo
I don’t want to be a party breaker, but the delicious mayonnaise contains approximately 57 calories per tablespoon and only a few nutrients. Potato salad, pasta salad, and coleslaw are usually made with mayonnaise, which contains few nutrients but approximately 57 calories per tablespoon.
Mistake #7 – You put cheese on every bite, too?
I love to say “but cheese is a good source of protein and vitamins” when a colleague of mine looks on my plate. That’s the truth. But, there is also the good amount of fat that will cause weight gain. As an example, a half-cup of cheddar cheese contains 18 grams of fat. This means 225 calories are added to your meal like this *snapping fingers*
Mistake #8 – Adding over processed meats? Stop!
The reason why: they usually contain harmful preservatives like sodium nitrites as well as high doses of salt and bad fats. Here’s what to avoid as much as you can: bacon bits, salami, pepperoni, sausage, bologna, and pastrami are overly processed meats and.
Mistake #9 – Who else loves starchy & sweet vegetables?
Having corn, carrots, potatoes, peas and sweet potatoes in your salad is great since they contain antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Having them in large quantities is a problem because they also contain a lot of sugar compared to other vegetables. That is why you should add them in small quantities.
Mistake #10 – Adding too much lettuce
Have you ordered a salad in a restaurant lately? If yes, then you probably see how restaurants favor iceberg lettuce. The reason why is because it is less expensive than other varieties. Anyhow, the issue with lettuce is that it is void of nutrients.
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