Are Fast-Food Salads Healthy?
The word “salad” conjures up healthful images of green leafy veggies tossed with vitamin-rich tomatoes, carrots, and red cabbage – to add color. There’s little doubt that these vegetables are a rich source of nutrients and antioxidants. But not many fast-food restaurants leave it at that. Instead, they sprinkle those greens with buttery-flavored croutons, fried chicken strips and generous helpings of full-fat cheese – and then top it off with a creamy dressing. By the time they finish, you could have saved yourself calories by ordering a burger and a greasy order of fries.
For example, Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad has almost 750 calories – not to mention 49 grams of fat, while a quarter pound single has 550 calories. With romaine lettuce and tomatoes as the only vegetables in the salad, you’re not getting a significant number of antioxidants – and by the time these pre-prepared salads rest on shelves for a while, much of their nutritional value is lost. Not to mention, the vegetables aren’t grown organically and are sprayed with pesticides.
How to Avoid Being a Fast-Food Salad Junkie
A salad can be a healthy and nutritious lunch, but ordering a fast-food salad could do you more harm than good. If you’re on the go and need a salad, head for a grocery store that has a salad bar where you can make your own – and avoid the high-fat croutons and fried chicken strips.
Whole Foods Market has an organic salad bar with a large selection of brightly colored veggies you can use to make your own healthy salad creation. Other grocery stores also offer salad bars, although they may not be organic.
If there’s a Ruby Tuesday nearby, they have a salad bar – and you can get it to go. Bring along your own dressing since they have the standard, high-calorie ones.
Another alternative is to buy already-bagged organic salad mixes at the grocery store and make a salad-to-go to take to work the next day.
References:
Wendy’s website.
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Eating Healthy When Your Schedule is Too Busy
6 Ways to Grocery Shop for Better Health and Weight Control
It is hard in this nation to stay healthy and eat healthy. It is easy to see why we have over half our adult population and a significant number of our children overwieght or obese.
I disagree with Nancy. I think it is easier than ever to be healthy especially with regard to eating. Steam-in-Bag veggies, portioned skinless boneless chicken breast, pre-washed bagged salads and even steam-in-bag brown rice are so easy and quick to prepare its barely even cooking, The most work required is placing the chicken in a skillet or George Foreman grill and maybe cutting a tomato, oh yes, and clean up which is just a couple of things.
You can stock up on these items when they’re on sale. They can be prepared on a Saturday or Sunday for lunches during the week. I think there is almost no excuse for not eating healthy. Even with exercise, geez, if you have a DVD player and a resistance band you can do Cathe’s Travel FIt workout in under an hour AT HOME.
The hardest part for people in this nation is the self-motivation to eat healthy and taking the time to exercise. We’re too busy with work and our families, and (I have to say it) making excuses that we put ourselves way, WAY back if not last.