Nutritional Benefits - Salads

The key to making a salad a real nutritional gold mine is to include a wide variety of vegetables, and maybe even fruit. Beyond the typical tomato and cucumber, broccoli and cauliflower provide crunch and the health-promoting natural phytochemicals that fight cancer before it starts. Peppers - both sweet and hot - add color and vitamin C.  Shredded carrot adds nutrition and texture and enjoy the unexpected: orange or grapefruit slices, berries, grapes, raisins, pineapple and melon make tasty additions to green salads.

To make a main dish salad, some protein is needed to satisfy hunger for more than a few hours. But choose lean protein like turkey, chicken, or beans. If you want enough cheese to provide your protein, a reduced-fat version will limit calories and fat. For just a little cheese flavor, a sprinkle of a strongly-flavored cheese like Parmesan will do the trick. Nuts are another way to add protein and crunch to a salad. They are high in fat, but it's a healthful type of fat and, if the amount is limited, the calories are as well.