Salads are generally considered one of the healthiest foods on the market, but it all comes down to what ingredients you’re using when making one. Many of the popular salad toppings are actually making your salad unhealthy, and here are five that you should avoid at all costs.
Croutons
Croutons are one of the most popular salad toppings on the market, but they’re best replaced with nuts and seeds if you want to add some crunch to your salad in a healthy way.
Creamy Dressings
Many of the beloved salad dressings such as ranch and Caesar aren’t doing your salad any favors since they’re packed with unhealthy fats, calories, and added sugars.
Fried Foods
Many popular salads contain different variations of fried foods, from bacon bits to crispy chicken strips, but the only thing they’re good at is adding unnecessary fats and calories to your salad.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits usually aren’t as healthy as they seem since they can contain added sugars. If you want to sweeten your salad naturally, just add some fresh fruits to the mix instead.
Cheese
No matter how much you love cheese, try to keep it away from your salad. High-fat cheeses like cheddar or blue cheese can spike up the fat and calorie count of your salad if you don’t use them in moderation.
