Filling Your Days With Salads
By Donna Stark
Even though National Salad Month officially occurs in May, there's no better time to start cleaning up your eating habits and incorporating healthier food into your diet than now. And if you are looking to boost your immunity, lose weight, or increase your nutritional intake, eating more salads throughout the week can definitely be your solution! There is simply no easier meal to make, so let's take a look at how you can build the perfect salad for yourself and your loved ones.
Creating the Base
Making a salad can be exciting when you get to mix different flavors, textures, and colors for the base. Here are a few of the different options you can choose to help add flavor to your salad. Remember, the darker the green the more nutrient-dense it is!
- Romaine lettuce
- Spinach
- Arugula
- Kale
Adding a Protein
Proteins are essential for building and repairing muscles. They're also a great source of energy and can make any type of salad more filling. Top your greens with the following suggestions.
- Chicken
- Salmon
- Chickpeas
- Beans
- Eggs
- Quinoa
- Nuts
Going Crazy for Toppings
Making a salad is like making art ... the more colors the better! Take a look at some flavorful toppings that you can add to your salad that, in addition to giving it an extra kick, will also give your body tons of nutrition!
- Fruits (blueberries, raisins, oranges)
- Vegetables (corn, cucumbers, carrots)
- Crunch (croutons, tortilla chips, sunflower seeds)
Reaping the Benefits
Everyone knows that salads are healthy, and good for you, but many don't know the extent of how good they really are. Salads are packed with nutrient-dense foods and are a natural source of fiber. Incorporating more of them into your diet can help you lose weight, maintain a healthy weight, reduce cholesterol levels, and boost your immune system. Salads make a great first course to your meals since they are a low-calorie way to help fill your stomach, but more importantly, they provide an extra opportunity for you to add more fruit and vegetables to your diet. But the best thing about salads is the feeling you get after eating them. There is nothing like the joy you experience when you know you are eating healthily.
Make Today a Salad Day!
There's no need for your salads to "romaine" boring anymore! With all of the tips above, you can head into this year's National Salad Month with some new knowledge and a newfound appreciation for that plate of produce!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Glendale, Ariz.