Everyone knows that eating vegetables contributes to good health and is helpful for weight loss. Many of our patients report that they have replaced at least one meal with a salad. However, I was shocked at the number of calories (not to mention chemical preservatives, fat, sugar and salt) in some popular salads. It is important to check the ingredients in the salads you are eating. Take a look at some of these high calorie salads (And consider that a Big Mac from McDonald’s has 550 calories, which is less than any of the salads below! 🙁
- Chipotle Mexican Grill: Chicken Salad with black beans, red salsa, cheese, and chipotle honey vinaigrette, 720 calories
- Wendy’s: BLT Cobb Salad with Croutons and Classic Ranch dressing, 760 calories
- Jack in the Box: Crispy Chicken Club Salad with Croutons and Ranch dressing, 873 calories
- Taco Bell: Chipotle Steak Fully Loaded Salad, 900 calories
- Quizno’s: Chicken Caesar Flatbread Salad (with bread), 920 calories
- Einstein Bros: Bros Bistro Salad with Chicken, 940 calories
- Applebee’s: Grilled Shrimp and Spinach Salad, 1,050 calories
- California Pizza Kitchen: Field Greens Salad with Gorgonzola Cheese, 1,098 calories
- California Pizza Kitchen: Waldorf Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, 1,570 calories
- TGI Friday’s: Pecan-Crusted Chicken Salad, 1,360 calories
- TGI Friday’s: Santa Fe Chopped Salad, 1,800 calories
Salad Ingredients: Making Healthy Salads
Next time you are having a salad, consider the following nutritional information:
- ½ cup shredded romaine lettuce, 5 calories
- 1 cup of raw spinach, 7 calories
- ½ cup of cucumber slices, 8 calories
- 1 cup of sliced mushrooms, 15 calories
- 1 small tomato, 16 calories
- 1 cup of chopped broccoli,30 calories
- 1 cup of chopped red