We think of salads as being a healthy choice because they contain lots of vegetables which are low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. But most restaurant salads are more than just vegetables. At a minimum, you would add salad dressing and many salads also include nuts, fruit, chicken, bacon or cheese, all of which add fat and calories. Salad dressing alone can add hundreds of calories. Creamy dressings like ranch and blue cheese tend to be higher in both than vinaigrettes. In many cases the salad has more calories than the sandwich or entree you would have ordered instead.
As an example, consider the Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken at McDonald's. This popular salad contains 560 calories, 37 grams of total fat, and 8.5 grams of saturated fat. Compared to a Big Mac, which has 550 calories, 29 grams of total fat, and 10 grams of saturated fat, this salad doesn't seem like such a healthy option. You could improve the salad by switching from fried chicken to grilled chicken and save 160 calories and 13 grams of fat. The real problem is the ranch dressing - one packet contains 170 calories and 15 grams of fat. You could skip the dressing altogether, but a more reasonable approach is to switch to the Low-Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette, with only 35 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. Want to really cut calories? The salad with vinaigrette dressing and no chicken has only 175 calories, almost 400 fewer than the version with crispy chicken with ranch dressing or the Big Mac!
The fact that many restaurant salads have calorie and fat content similar to burgers and other entrees doesn't make them a bad choice. The salad does contain several cups of vegetables, which means it is higher in vitamins, minerals, and fiber than the burger. Most of the salads at McDonald's have about 13 grams of fiber, compared to just 3 grams in most sandwiches. Think of it this way: the salad may be equivalent to a burger as far as fat and calories go, but it comes with a serving (or more) of vegetables. And the salad is even healthier when you consider the fries that undoubtedly come with the burger!
What if you are at a restaurant and want to order a salad? What can you do to make it more healthy? You could order a side salad. Given the huge portions at most restaurants, this smaller serving might be enough. You can also limit the toppings, especially meat and cheese, and choose a lower-calorie dressing. Another tried and true option is to ask for the dressing on the side so you can add just as much as you want. And don't forget, you can always share one of the large salads with a friend or save half for another meal.
The bottom line is that salads at restaurants can be as high in calories and fat as other "unhealthy" menu items, but they do provide a serving of vegetables you might otherwise miss. And by making a few choices, you can create a salad that is a healthy, low-calorie option.
Brian Parr, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at USC Aiken where he teaches courses in exercise physiology, nutrition and health behavior.
He is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and is an ACSM certified clinical exercise specialist; his research focuses on physical activity in weight management and the impact of the environment on activity and diet. Parr lives in Aiken with his wife, Laura, and sons Noah, Owen and Simon.
