THE PROS AND CONS OF SALADS

Pros

1. They help improve digestion.  Salad ingredients contain fiber, which promotes good digestion and prevents constipation, thus helping to protect against colon cancer and diverticulitis. Fiber also contributes to reducing cholesterol and maintaining glycemic (blood sugar) control, which is beneficial in cases of high cholesterol and diabetes.

2. They protect your heart.  Antioxidants in vegetables (such as beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin C and vitamin E) turn salads into allies for your heart and health, since they block the damaging action of free radicals, substances implicated in the development of degenerative and cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

3. They protect your skin.  Colorful vegetables (such as bell peppers, beets, carrots, tomatoes, etc.) contribute beta-carotene, which transforms into vitamin A and helps renew skin and mucus tissues, and vitamin C, which improves the production of collagen, a protein that helps keep skin taut, soft and wrinkle-free.

4. They satiate more with fewer calories.  Starting your meal off with a salad sates and reduces the appetite, which will help you feel full longer while consuming just a few calories. This is why they are good for everyone, and especially those who wish to lose weight.  But watch out for dressings and don’t overuse them!

Cons

1. Dressings:  These are the main culprits in transforming healthy ingredients into high-fat calorie bombs. Some dressings may have up to 130 kcals (kilocalories) per spoonful, a portion that is doubled or tripled in some restaurants if you don’t ask for salad with the dressing on the side.  It’s better to choose low- or no-fat dressings, vinegar or lemon juice for the salad to keep its healthy properties.

2. Croutons: In general, a few inoffensive bread cubes are baked with additives such as butter, oil and cheese to enhance their flavor, and their flavor does get enhanced – but so does their fat and calorie content.  Just a half cup of these croutons can add some 100 kcal and 4 g of fat to your salad.  Prepare them with just herbs and spray them with oil; this way they’ll have fewer calories and maintain their flavor.

3. Extras: There are other ingredients that can sabotage our low-fat, low-calorie salads, such as bacon bits, seeds, bread sticks and avocado.  If we add only 1/8 of an avocado it’s not a problem, but rather a benefit.  The problem is when we add almost a full avocado and then have another dish to eat afterwards.

4. Cheeses and cold meats: If you are going to add any of these ingredients, choose white, low-fat cheese.  Remember that yellow cheese has a high fat content, as do ingredients such as ham and salami.

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