When it comes to eating healthy, the first food that many people think of is salad. Eating a salad every day can significantly increase the quality and quantity of nutrients that you consume. It is a great way to get in your recommended servings of vegetables, and a salad with some healthy protein is more filling than many people realize. Unfortunately, people who are trying to eat healthier tend to associate salads with drudgery and denial since they often don't venture beyond the established realm of iceberg lettuce, cheese, and ranch or Italian dressing. Fortunately there are many options for those wanting to eat salad every day without getting bored or burned out eating the same thing over and over.
When it comes to salads, the key to keeping it interesting is variety. Eschew iceberg lettuce for healthier romaine or red leaf lettuce. Even better, try baby spinach or mixed salad greens. And don't forget the add-ons. A handful of dried cranberries, a few slices of mandarin orange, or an ounce of nuts or sunflower seeds can turn a salad from boring into amazing. If you want to up the protein content of your salad try adding grilled chicken breast or a hard-boiled egg. If you are struggling to get enough healthy fats into your diet, slice an avocado onto your salad and sprinkle with lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt.
Although it is easy to get used to eating green salads, don't forget that there are other types of salad out there. You can try fruit salad for a refreshing side dish. Bean salads are full of protein and very inexpensive to make. A taco salad can be healthy with baked whole wheat tortilla chips and salsa. Even a pasta salad can be healthy if you are careful. Make sure you use whole wheat pasta and add at least as many vegetables as pasta. Use a homemade dressing instead of a processed one. These variations on a simple green salad will help you to eat more salads without getting bored with any particular combination.
When it comes to salads, the biggest obstacle to a healthy salad is the dressing. Most commercial dressings are full of hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. They can have hundreds of calories per serving, and oftentimes the serving sizes are only a tablespoon or two. If you must buy prepackaged dressings read the ingredients carefully and choose one that is natural. If you can gather a few basic ingredients like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt, then you can make your own salad dressing. This is fast and easy to do, and you can make enough dressing for many salads for less than the cost of a bottle of processed salad dressing.
Lastly, don't forget to think way outside of the box. Many people who dedicate themselves to eating a salad every day actually drink green smoothies to help them accomplish this. A green smoothie is a homemade smoothie that is roughly 60% fruit and 40% leafy greens. If you are interested in finding out more about green smoothies a quick internet search will tell you everything that you need to know about drinking your vegetables.
When it comes to salads, the key to keeping it interesting is variety. Eschew iceberg lettuce for healthier romaine or red leaf lettuce. Even better, try baby spinach or mixed salad greens. And don't forget the add-ons. A handful of dried cranberries, a few slices of mandarin orange, or an ounce of nuts or sunflower seeds can turn a salad from boring into amazing. If you want to up the protein content of your salad try adding grilled chicken breast or a hard-boiled egg. If you are struggling to get enough healthy fats into your diet, slice an avocado onto your salad and sprinkle with lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt.
Although it is easy to get used to eating green salads, don't forget that there are other types of salad out there. You can try fruit salad for a refreshing side dish. Bean salads are full of protein and very inexpensive to make. A taco salad can be healthy with baked whole wheat tortilla chips and salsa. Even a pasta salad can be healthy if you are careful. Make sure you use whole wheat pasta and add at least as many vegetables as pasta. Use a homemade dressing instead of a processed one. These variations on a simple green salad will help you to eat more salads without getting bored with any particular combination.
When it comes to salads, the biggest obstacle to a healthy salad is the dressing. Most commercial dressings are full of hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. They can have hundreds of calories per serving, and oftentimes the serving sizes are only a tablespoon or two. If you must buy prepackaged dressings read the ingredients carefully and choose one that is natural. If you can gather a few basic ingredients like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt, then you can make your own salad dressing. This is fast and easy to do, and you can make enough dressing for many salads for less than the cost of a bottle of processed salad dressing.
Lastly, don't forget to think way outside of the box. Many people who dedicate themselves to eating a salad every day actually drink green smoothies to help them accomplish this. A green smoothie is a homemade smoothie that is roughly 60% fruit and 40% leafy greens. If you are interested in finding out more about green smoothies a quick internet search will tell you everything that you need to know about drinking your vegetables.
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