Are You Getting Fatter from Eating Salads?

By Catering Staff | July 1, 2017

When people want to trim their waists, salads are usually their food of choice for many reasons. Salads are, after all, easy to prepare with a few basic ingredients, easy to eat even on the go, and easily available in restaurant chains like Cosi. These are also available in nearly endless varieties from fresh fruit and vegetable salads to pasta, potato and chicken salads, among others.  

But you may actually be getting fat when you’re eating salads! This isn’t to say that you should stop eating them but you must be careful about your choices when ordering them. You can keep these effective tips in mind when making your non-fattening choices – and enjoy your salads, too!  

Fat-free Dressing Can be Deceiving

Just because the label says “fat-free dressing” doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s healthy for you. This is because fat-free dressings are likely to be more processed, no thanks to the fact that the fat has to be removed. But with the removal of fat also comes the addition of sodium, carbohydrates, and high-fructose sugar, which are added to enhance the dressing’s flavors.

You will then not only complain about the blander flavors of fat-free dressing in comparison with full-fat dressing, but you will also likely eat a second helping to satisfy your appetite. You’re not getting the weight loss benefits that you anticipated.  

And then there’s the creamy dressings, such as bleu cheese and ranch dressing. You should just avoid them because of their higher calorie content, even when they are creamier. You will be better off with vinaigrettes or dipping your vegetables into a full-fat dressing.  

The better option: Go for the full-fat version but use it in moderation. Add spices, too, for enhanced flavor to your salads.

Wraps Can Add Fat to Your Waist

Asking for your salad in a wrap is easier on your on-the-go lifestyle but it isn’t easy on your waist. You could be adding 200-300 calories on your meal, aside from the fact that you will feel hungry half-an-hour later. Even the so-called healthy wraps, such as the spinach wrap, are made from refined grains that can contribute to the spikes in your blood sugar.  

The better option: Just skip the wrap and ask for your salad to be served in a bowl.  You should also skip on the bacon bits, candied nuts, dried fruits, and croutons as these add more sodium, carbs and calories to your salad.

You will find that salads are, indeed, the healthy options when you’re on a weight management plan. But stick to the fresh fruits and vegetables with as little of the creamy, full-fat dressings as possible to keep your trim waist.