Salad, the symbol of healthy eating?
What is your reaction when you spot someone eating a bowl of salad during mealtime? You might think, “wow this person is really good at healthy eating!” Some of us might even develop a “guilty feeling” towards ourselves, because apparently our meal does not appear as healthy as that bowl of fresh greens (I’ve been there before). Why is salad so popular for healthy eating? And is it really as healthy as we think it is?
Why we think salads are healthy
For a lot of people, we think salads are healthy because they are fresh raw vegetables that can provide a lot of valuable nutrients to our body. It is true, and in fact a lot of us are not eating enough vegetables. According to Statistics Canada, in 2017, only 28.6% of Canadian teenagers and adults reported having fruits and vegetables five or more times a day. Having more salads means more intake in vegetables, and it’s good for our health. However, there are some points to consider.
Salad as a possible weight loss aid
For people worrying about their weight status, they might try to be on a diet to lose weight. Salads are popular choices among those diets because of its low calorie count. When you substitute part of your meal with a salad, it’s likely to fill you up with less calories. Yay, less calories! Is it still true when you add all those toppings and dressing?
Two cups of lettuce are only 14 calories, but with some croutons, parmesan cheese and Caesar dressing, it can go up to 300 calories or more, depending on how much you add. And don’t forget, it’s only part of the meal and you’ll likely have other foods on your plate as well. If you are eating more salad to lose some weight, be sure to pay attention to the items you add to your salad, especially salad dressings. When you use light dressing, the salad may be less heavy in calories.
Concerns of salad being the main course
When the salad becomes the main course of say, lunch, the emphasis has changed. You will need to make sure your plate contains all the things you need for a meal, including proteins and grain products. For example, sliced grilled chicken and rice. Those food will provide you energy for longer and fill you up more, as well as provide more essential nutrients.
If you eat only the greens for a meal, you will likely be:
1) still feeling hungry and can’t concentrate on your work;
2) not feeling satisfied, and go for snacks soon after;
3) experiencing unwanted weight gain or weight loss.
No matter how much you enjoy salads (or plan to eat salads for health reasons), it’s best to pair it up with some proteins and grain products to make it a complete meal.
Salad vs. cooked vegetables
Salad is an excellent source of nutrients, and so are cooked vegetables. They are both great sources of fibre, vitamins and minerals. The media has put a spotlight on salads, but cooked vegetables are just as healthy (if not more).
Fresh and properly cooked vegetables contain higher amounts of nutrients than older or over-cooked vegetables. One of the cooking methods, boiling, will make the water-soluble vitamins leak out from the vegetables. But if you reuse the liquid for soup or broth, you will not waste the lost nutrients. A lot of other cooking methods, such as steaming, roasting and pan-frying, can reserve most of the nutrients in the vegetables.
Cooked vegetables make it easier to chew, digest and absorb the nutrients than raw vegetables. The cooking process might also bring out the flavour and aroma of the vegetables and make them more enjoyable to eat. Cooking does destroy some nutrients in certain vegetables, but on the other hand, it can enhance the antioxidant levels of some vegetables.
Salads are consumed while being raw, so it has a higher chance of contamination than cooked vegetables for the lack of the cooking process.
Therefore, it’s best to stand in the middle ground and eat a combination of raw and cooked vegetables. To learn more, you can read this informative article.
Preference of eating salad (or not)
Everyone has their preference for food. As for me, I usually prefer to eat cooked vegetables. I think my culture plays an important role in my preference here, because I never had any salads before while in China (some restaurants probably do serve it but it’s very uncommon). My family prefers to stir-fry vegetables most of the time. Gaining from my experience in Canada, I learned different ways to cook vegetables. I also enjoy salads sometimes, but usually in a restaurant rather than at home.
You probably have a different experience with salads than me. That’s totally normal, and no one can say which one is healthier. If you don’t like salads, you don’t have to force yourself to eat it to feel healthier. There are plenty of cooked vegetables for you to choose from. You can also explore the different cooking methods. And if you do enjoy salad, you can continue enjoying them. If you eat both salad and cooked vegetables, then that’s even better variety.
The bottom line
Salads have the unique halo of being the symbol of healthy eating, but it’s only one healthy food option. Pay attention to what you add in the salad and enjoy other foods as well. Other than salad, there are also a variety of cooked vegetables for you to choose from.
