It ain't easy eatin' green.

Ok so we have always known green is good when it comes to our food. Salads are the dish du jour of the person who wishes to eat healthy and/or shed a few pounds. This is an excellent idea! Plus if you add 'color' to your salad you are adding much needed vitamins and minerals.

After lunch hour at work you hear the co-worker next to you say how good they were when they went to the local fast food joint because they had the salad, however this same person complains they aren't losing weight and eat like a bird. How could this be? Well, the salad is a great idea, but what we add to it could be the culprit here. Let's take a quick look a couple of fast food salads that are popular with the dieters I know. I promise this will not hurt, bear with me.

Wendy's Mandarin Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken Fillet
Total Calories: 540

Total fat: 25 grams!

Burger King's Tendergrill Garden Salad

Total Calories: 460

Total fat: 29 grams!

McDonald's Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken

Total Calories: 320

Total fat: 9 grams.

So lets put this into perspective..

Wendy's 1/4 lb single (sans cheese)

Total Calories: 430

Total Fat: 20 grams.

Burger King's Whopper Jr. without Mayo

Total Calories: 370

Total Fat: 21 grams.

Mc Donalds 1/4 Pounder (sans cheese)

Total Calories: 410

Total Fat: 19 grams.

No, this isn't comparing apples to apples, but if you are like me, you like your burgers once in a while. If a salad is going to have more fat and calories why not have the burger instead! Only the McDonalds salad has less calories and fat than a burger at the same place. The point is that its a matter of marketing. Knowing that we want healthier options with full flavor, salads have been developed to fill that demand. Unfortunately the flavor they add requires fatty options.

Not that you can't choose wisely at any of these or other places just log on to the websites and they give you the nutritional values and you can add or subtract ingredients to tailor to your caloric needs. I used fast food places as examples, but the same concept applies to all restaurants.

Remember that dressings require oil so go for the fat free options or even better, if its possible just throw on some delicious balsamic vinegar. Caesar Salad is a great option right? Its only lettuce with some dressing... well here is the recipe for the dressing:

1 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

lemon juice

2 tsp. Parmesan cheese

4 cloves crushed garlic

5 tsp. white wine vinegar

1 cup oil

1 tsp Worcestershire

4 tbs. Olive Oil

So, we have 3 whole eggs, a cup of oil and 4 tbs. of Olive Oil. Does this seem like a healthy option to you? If you said yes, rethink it.

Its not that hard my friends, just know that we have hidden fat and calories everywhere, but little by little we are learning to find them and eliminate!

So go, have that salad and feel good about boasting in the office when you do!