Surely more than one has wondered if it is healthy to diet to lose weight based on salads only. The answer, from the start, is that it is not harmful to health. But that doesn't mean it's necessarily beneficial.
Requirements for a salad to be healthy
The key to making your salads healthy depends on what you prepare them with to make sure you get all the necessary nutrients.
- All food groups (vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates and fats) must be represented.
- You must combine raw vegetables and vegetables with cooked ones, as there are some nutrients that are better assimilated when the food is raw (as with vitamin C) and others, on the other hand, when it has been cooked (such as lycopene from tomatoes or beta-carotene from carrots). Also, hot or warm food is more satisfying.
Are salads low in calories?
Not always. Depending on the ingredients, a salad can be more caloric than other traditionally "forbidden" dishes (pasta, legumes, potatoes …), and make you gain weight without realizing it. To prevent this, avoid (or moderate a lot) ingredients such as bacon, fatty cheeses, croutons, heavy sauces …
Salads to lose weight, make them yourself!
Be wary of prepared salads and try to make it yourself. It is the best way to control that your salad meets all the necessary requirements.
- Good fats. Like the ones that nuts or avocado give you.
- Proteins Choose them low in fat: chicken, salmon, tofu, legumes, etc.
- Hydrates Like whole-grain cooked potatoes, legumes, rice, or pasta.
- The base: fiber. Add lots of greens and vegetables, they are filling and light.
And what can you season it with?
No industrial sauces loaded with calories like mayonnaise, pink sauces or cheese. It is much better to opt for light vinaigrettes with a little oil and vinegar, yogurt with herbs, or mustard with orange juice.
