Are Salads Always a Healthy Option?

Salads have a reputation as a healthy food, but some dietitians warn that some restaurant salads have more calories than a cheeseburger. The trouble is not with the leafy greens but with high-calorie, high-fat salad toppings such as meat, nuts and cheese. Dressings also can add significant calories to a salad, with several popular brands of ranch and bleu cheese dressing containing 140 calories or more in each 2-tablespoon (28-g) serving.

More about calories in salads:

• Words such as "crispy" to describe chicken on a salad often indicate that the meat has been breaded and then deep fried. This adds a lot of calories to the salad. Grilled meats, on the other hand, tend to be lower in fat and calories.


• Careful measuring is important when a salad is being put together. Many people pour two servings of dressing on their salads, significantly increasing the calories and fat.


• One alternative to oily or creamy salad dressings is salsa. The number of calories in salsa vary by brand and recipe, but some have only 10 calories per serving.