Salad Calories

Today, the word 'calorie' has become the buzzword of the society. Everyone has become calorie conscious. People are always looking for weight loss diets, and salads form an inevitable part of such diets. These days, salad does not mean a bowl of wilted lettuce with a few slices of tomato and cucumber thrown on top but it implies a beautifully designed work-of-art on a plate. Today, a salad stands for a host of exciting things and it doesn't even have to contain lettuce anymore! Counting salad calories has become a challenging task thus.

Salad is the term used for a wide variety of dishes like vegetable salads, pasta salad, salads of legumes or grains, mixed salads comprising meat, poultry or seafood and of course, fruit salads, etc. It can be a mixture of cold and hot. For example, a potato salad is served hot. Raw vegetables and/or fruits are inevitable elements of healthy salads. Various sauces and salad dressings add up to the salad calories. Salads can be based on pasta, noodles or gelatin. These are generally garnished with dried fruits and nuts or croutons. They may also contain meat, fish, cheese, eggs or whole grains. With so much of variety available, it is useful to know about calories in salad. Eating raw/boiled vegetables, fruits, sprouts, etc. is generally considered as healthy but this is not always the case. Salad calories and nutrition facts may vary according to the ingredients put in it and also on top of it.

Calories in Salad Ingredients

Do you know that you consume unhealthy fats with toppings like bacon bits and croutons? They also add a serious number of calories to the meal. On the contrary, nuts and seeds are a healthier option but they are also rich in calories. If you are not on a weight loss diet, then there is nothing to worry, as nuts are packed with proteins and essential polyunsaturated fats that the body needs.

Serving a plain salad with only a pinch of salt can be quite boring, hence people tend to add a dressing or serve it with a dollop of mayonnaise or salad cream on the side. But one tablespoon of mayonnaise contains around 60-100 calories and between 5-10 g of fat. Therefore, mayonnaise is considered as highly fattening. You should instead prefer a low fat dressing like lemon juice and vinegar or natural low-fat yogurt mixed with salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice and herbs. One of the best salad dressings is that which contains olive oil and cider vinegar. The oil contains good number of calories but it protects the heart and helps to get rid of bad cholesterol.

Salad ingredients such as cheese, cured meats and fried chicken for example will raise the number of calories in salad. Moreover, the unhealthy saturated fats provided by these ingredients can clog up the arteries with cholesterol and lead to serious heart problems.

You should be aware of the fact that salad leaves such as lettuce are low in calories and contain up to 90% water. In fact, they are rich in vital vitamins such as vitamins A and C and minerals like calcium, copper, potassium and iron which are required to keep the body healthy.

Calories in Popular Salads

Description	Quantity	Calories (kcal)
Garden Salad: No Dressing	1 serving (approx.165 gm)	30
Baby Spinach Salad: No Dressing	3 oz.(approx.85 gm)	10
Caesar Salad: No Dressing	1 serving (approx.170 gm)	300
Caesar Salad: With Dressing	1 serving (approx.183 gm)	327
Caesar Salad: With Chicken and Dressing	1 serving (approx.250 gm)	448
Greek Style Feta Salad With Dressing	1 serving (approx.255 gm)	268
Pasta Salad	1 serving (approx.140 gm)	58

If your salad does not contain any meats, cheese or dressings, then you need not worry about the calories. Eating a fresh and healthy salad every day, can keep all the diseases away. It should be prepared with a variety of ingredients so that you can have all the necessary nutrients required by your body. It should contain a variety of raw fruits and vegetables since they offer you powerful anti-oxidants (vitamins A and C) that help you avoid heart diseases and cancer. Fruits and vegetables also provide anti-aging vitamins and minerals that give you healthy, clear skin, shiny hair and strong nails. Thus, a bowl of salad can keep your internal organs healthy and give your outer appearance a healthy glow and shine.