Savvy Salad Tips for Dieters

Can salads make you fat? Yes indeedy! Take this tasty salad offered at McDonalds as an example:

McDonald's Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken - 320 calories, 9 fat grams

Add the following: 1 package of Croutons (60 calories, 1.5 fat grams), 1 package of ranch dressing (170 calories, 15 fat grams) and our low calorie salad now contains MORE calories and is almost equal in fat when compared to the Big Mac:

McDonald's Big Mac: 540 calories, 29 fat grams

McDonald's Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken, croutons & ranch dressing - 550 calories, 25.5 fat grams

Does this mean that a McDonald's salad should be taken off a dieter's menu? Absolutely not! In fact, the McDonald's salads are among our favorite choices.

The basic Southwest Salad with tasty Grilled Chicken is ultra filling and low in fat. We recommend skipping the croutons and opting for the 40-calorie balsamic dressing which is totally divine. In fact, all of the salads at McDonalds can be enjoyed without one ounce of guilt - as long as the dieter opts for grilled meat and the lower calorie salad dressings - and of course, skips the buttery garlic croutons.

Healthy Salad Tips - Using our healthy example above, let's spin-off a few more savvy salad tips for your diet:

The Big Cheesy Difference. 2 Tablespoons of most varieties of full-blown cheeses contain about 100 calories. And it's ultra easy to top that salad with a half-cup or more when shredded - shredding your diet in the process. Therefore, forget the cheese OR use skim versions and do take time out to measure.

Ten Carrot Salad. If you're a carrot-lover, try using shredded rather than chopped carrots. You'll still get that extra crunch without damaging your choppers.

The Veggie Assortment. Opting for the following can ensure that calories and fat are kept in check: any variety of lettuce, baby spinach, shredded cabbage, carrots, radishes, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onions, raw cauliflower, raw broccoli.

Boosting the Calorie Count. Although healthy when enjoyed in moderation, the following can boost calories in salads: nuts, dried fruits, fried additives such as bite-sized fried chicken, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, bacon bits, and as mentioned above, cheese, croutons, crackers and salad dressings.

Different Types of Salads. Although the a-typical salad mix of lettuce and tomatoes is healthy and delicious, don't forget about other healthy salad options which include slaws, three bean salad, beet salad, cottage cheese salads, gelatin salads, carrot salads and spinach salads.

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