Summer Salads

It's summer, which means, it's salad season. Fresh, lush greens and seasonal fruits abound. So, what are the best and worst things to add to your salad? Keep reading.

Bite this:

1. Spinach. Spinach is a nutritional all star- loaded with lutein, beta-carotene and potassium. Unlike its slimy cooked counterpart, raw spinach adds a nice bite to your salad.
2. Berries. Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are at their peak this time of year. All will boost the flavor, fiber and anti-oxidant content of any salad.
3. Hard cheese. Parmesan, Asiago and aged Romano cheese are lower in saturated fat than your typical cheddar and other soft cheese. And because they're quite savory, a little bit goes a long way.
4. Chopped nuts. Nuts are an excellent source of heart healthy mono-unsaturated fat, but can also pack a hefty dose of calories. Chop up a few pecans or walnuts rather than adding handfuls of them.
5. Beans. Garbanzos, black beans or kidney beans add fiber, flavor and texture to your salad without any fat. Plus, they're an excellent source of protein, which is filling.

Not that:

1. Dried fruit. American seems obsessed with adding handfuls of dried/sweetened cranberries or raisins to their salad. Unfortunately, these only boost the sugar and calorie content of an otherwise healthy meal.
2. Chunks of meat. We could all use a little less pig in our diets. Skip the ham and smoked turkey and spare your heart the extra sodium.
3. Tuna or chicken salad. Let's face it. The preparation of commercial tuna or chicken salad doesn't include the use of low fat mayo. This is salad suicide.
4. Shredded cheese. Most salad bars include a bin of freshly shredded cheddar. Though it may look tempting to toss in your salad, think of all the saturated fat you'd be tossing into your body.
5. Full fat dressing. This is a no-brainer. Why bother eating salad if it's just going to be drowned in dressing? You might actually enjoy your next salad more with just a touch of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

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