Posted by mike

I’m sure by now you have seen evidence that we should eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to help you lose weight and also for your overall health. You can start by eating a low-carb salad everyday. It offers you a variety of colorful veggies and even a moderate amount of lean protein which is light on calories but loaded with taste. Plus, it provides our bodies with many nutrients our bodies need.

These days, salads are being made with more than an appetizer in mind. Instead, people are choosing them as lunches and dinners. You can easily call a salad a healthy, low-calorie meal all by itself. The trick to keeping your salads as a meal interesting is to try and change the ingredients each time you make one. Instead of having a simple garden salad, make yourself a garden salad covered in fruits or nuts. Here are a few ways you can add a little bit of life that plain salad sitting in front of you for dinner.

• Salad Dressing - Just a single tablespoon of regular salad dressing can add 50 to 80 calories to an ordinary salad, so be careful how much you use. You may be tempted to use a larger serving of salad dressing if you are eating a large salad but be careful. One-quarter cup of dressing potentially adds an extra 300 calories. Some companies offer low fat dressings, which offer fewer calories, but they just don’t taste nearly as good. Try enjoying a salad with a variety of fruits and vegetables instead. It doesn’t need any dressing, just some freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice is enough to add some flavor.
• Vegetables - Looking for an exciting and low fat way to spice up your salad? Try cutting up some vegetables and sprinkle them on to your salad. Try using some green beans, snap peas, carrots, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, artichokes, avocados, tomatoes, and cucumbers. You are supposed to eat about five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day, so eating your salad like this is a great and easy way to meet those dietary needs. Try sticking with either brightly colored vegetables, which contain bioflavonoids, or the dark green vegetables, which are low in calories.
• Fruit - Add some fruit to your salad for an extra boost in antioxidants and an extra burst in flavor. Next time you have a salad; top it off with some blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, apple slices and raisins. They add enough flavor and sweetness to help you cut back on and even eliminate the need for those high-calories salad dressings.
• Meat and Cheese - Maybe you like a little bit of meat for your dinner. If that’s the case add some meat and cheese to your salad instead of fruits and vegetables. By adding meats, you are giving yourself an extra boost in protein. Add some healthy chopped or sliced hard-boiled eggs, lean beef, cooked shrimp, tuna, chicken breast, or strips of cheese. Steer clear of fried meats like chicken strips or battered and fried shrimp, which contain unhealthy fats and a whole bunch of calories.
• Nuts - Nuts can also be a great source of protein for your salad. Sprinkle some walnuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews for touch of flavor and an extra bit of crunch. Just a few nuts will do the trick since about one-eighth cup of nuts holds about 90 calories. Nuts such as walnuts are a great source of omega-3 essential fatty acids.
• Greens - I know what you’re thinking: A salad is already green. You need to pay attention to the types of greens you are making your salad out of. Take lettuce for example. There are a variety of lettuces you can use, such as iceberg, leaf, spinach, escarole, romaine, or butter. Darker lettuces contain more vitamins than pale iceberg, for example. Spinach has iron, and all green are low in calories.

by Bill Healey
The Fruit Company offers fruit harvested right from the orchards, reserving only the freshest fruit for your gifts. The Fruit Company offers a selection of fruit baskets, gift towers, gourmet gift baskets, premium fruit gifts, and our monthly fruit clubs.