Tailor salad greens to your dietary needs and taste preferences.
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In the quest to follow daily dietary recommendations and eat the right amount of vegetables, salad is your friend. A large salad can check off your veggie requirements for the day in one fell swoop.
But not all salad greens are created equal. "They vary in regard to their nutrient content, nutrient density, flavor, and texture," says Elisabeth Moore, a registered dietitian at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. So it helps to know which salad greens will give you the most bang for the bite.
Common greens
The raw leaves we toss into a salad may come from several varieties of lettuce. These include
crisphead (also known as iceberg): a round, tightly packed head of light-colored, crunchy leaves
romaine: long, crisp leaves often used in Caesar salads
butterhead: a loosely packed head of lettuce that resembles a blossoming flower (such as Boston lettuce)
loose leaf: large, curly, sometimes reddish leaves arranged along a central stalk (such as red or green leaf lettuce).
It's also common to use the leaves of many other plants in salads, such as spinach, kale, arugula, dandelion, escarole, and watercress.
The benefits of greens
Most salad greens contain essential dietary nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and even water. "They also provide fiber, which is beneficial in many areas, including cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health. Greens are also low in calories, but high in nutrients and volume, which can be helpful if you're trying to manage your weight," Moore points out.
Some of the most nutritious greens include spinach, kale, romaine, watercress, and arugula (see "Salad greens by the numbers"). They are rich in a combination of vitamins A, C, and K; several B vitamins (including folate); and potassium.
But some greens aren't nutrient powerhouses. Iceberg lettuce, for example, contains folate and vitamin A, but is otherwise known for being the least nutrient-dense salad green. "I'm not recommending that you avoid iceberg lettuce," Moore says, "just that it's best to mix it with other greens."
Salad greens by the numbers |
Nutrient levels shown are for one cup of raw greens. Remember: it takes two cups of greens to make the nutritional equivalent of one cup of vegetables. |
| Arugula | Kale | Romaine | Spinach | Swiss chard | Watercress |
Vitamin A (IU) | 237 | 1,598 | 4,094 | 2,813 | 2,202 | 1,085 |
Folate (mcg) | 10 | 23 | 64 | 58 | 5 | 3 |
Vitamin C (mg) | 1.5 | 19 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 14 |
Vitamin K (mcg) | 11 | 113 | 48 | 144 | 299 | 85 |
Calcium (mg) | 16 | 24 | 16 | 30 | 18 | 41 |
Magnesium (mg) | 5 | 8 | 7 | 24 | 29 | 7 |
Potassium (mg) | 37 | 79 | 116 | 167 | 136 | 112 |
Fiber (g) | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.2 |
Note: g = grams; IU = International Units; mcg = micrograms; mg = milligrams. Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. |
Building your salad
Build a salad based on the nutrients you need most or simply the tastes and textures you like best. For example, arugula and watercress are peppery, dandelion and escarole are bitter, mâche and iceberg are sweet, and a green called tatsoi has a mustard flavor.
The USDA recommends two cups of vegetables per day for women ages 51 or older, and two-and-one-half cups per day for men ages 51 or older. But a cup of vegetables is not the same as a cup of salad greens. It actually takes about two cups of greens to make the nutritional equivalent of a one-cup serving of vegetables.
If that sounds like a lot of greens for one sitting, just add other vegetables to your salad bowl, such as tomatoes, carrots, and peppers. If you're eating salad as a meal, add a source of lean protein, such as chicken, fish, or egg.
And a word of caution: no matter how healthy your salad greens and other vegetables are, salad dressings can easily add fat, sugar, and calories. Moore's advice: "Choose oil-based dressings or simple oil and vinegar. Measure the portion and aim for no more than 2 tablespoons."
FAQs
Eight super-healthy leafy greens – and why you should eat them
- Spinach. Spinach is easy to get all year round, and is chock full of iron, calcium, potassium and vitamins B6, C and K. ...
- Kale. ...
- Swiss chard. ...
- Collard greens. ...
- Rocket. ...
- Romaine lettuce. ...
- Watercress. ...
- Bok choy.
When it comes to leafy greens, darker is better. They have the most nutrients. Case in point: Kale and spinach have over 10 times more immune-boosting vitamins A and C than iceberg lettuce.
What is the best lettuce for weight loss? ›
Romaine Lettuce
If you're looking for one of the lowest-calorie vegetables, romaine lettuce has only 8 calories per cup. The downside is that it is pretty low in fiber too, with just 1 g per cup. But it's a great "catch-all" vegetable, says registered dietitian Jennifer Fiske, M.S., RDN, LD.
How many cups of greens should I eat a day? ›
The USDA recommends two to three cups of vegetables per day for adults. But because greens aren't very dense, it actually takes about two cups of raw greens to make the nutritional equivalent of a one-cup serving of vegetables.
What is the best greens to eat everyday? ›
Some of the most nutritious greens include spinach, kale, romaine, watercress, and arugula (see "Salad greens by the numbers"). They are rich in a combination of vitamins A, C, and K; several B vitamins (including folate); and potassium.
Is it okay to eat green salad everyday? ›
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 1 in 10 Americans eat the recommended 5 cups of fruits and vegetables per day. Since the base of a salad is usually at least 1 to 2 cups of leafy greens, eating a salad every day can help you meet the daily recommendations.
Can I lose weight eating salads everyday? ›
Eating salad can help with weight loss
To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Fruits and vegetables typically contain more fiber and water than more processed, high-calorie foods. This means that you can eat more fruits and vegetables while staying on a low-calorie diet.
Which is better for you romaine or green leaf lettuce? ›
While all lettuce is going to provide you with healthy vitamins and minerals, romaine lettuce is the most nutrient-dense, says registered dietitian Danielle Crumble Smith. “It's going to have the highest amount of vitamin A, K, C,” she says.
Is romaine or iceberg lettuce better? ›
Although romaine lettuce has a slight nutritional advantage over iceberg lettuce, both are healthy vegetables. Romaine lettuce can be used in hot or cold recipes, while iceberg lettuce is best served in cold recipes only.
Can eating too much greens be bad? ›
Greens contain antinutritional factors which hinder the absorption of nutrients. Examples of these antinutrients are nitrates, phytates, oxalates, and glucosinolates. According to a study, plenty of oxalates in the diet can lead to kidney stone formation and poor calcium absorption.
Healthy eating means consuming more dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and other dark leafy greens. Include more red or orange vegetables, such as carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and legumes, in your diet (dry beans and peas).
What happens if you don't eat enough greens? ›
Digestive issues, such as constipation. Diseases caused by vitamin and mineral deficiencies, such as scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency), bleeding disorder (Vitamin K deficiency), Anaemia (Iron deficiency) and Osteoporosis (Calcium deficiency) Cardiovascular problems. Cancer.
What are the best leafy greens for weight loss? ›
Dark Leafy Green Vegetables – Super calcium-rich dark leafy greens including kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, chard, collard greens, etc. are ideal for helping weight loss.
What are the best greens to eat raw? ›
The best greens to eat raw include:
- Salad greens (like romaine lettuce and arugula)
- Baby greens (like spinach and Swiss chard)
- Herbs.
- Broccoli.
- Green bell peppers.
- Cucumbers.
- Peas.
Both spinach and romaine lettuce are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin K, dietary fiber and potassium. Spinach has more riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B6, however, romaine lettuce contains more pantothenic acid.
Are mixed greens healthier than romaine? ›
While spring mix, spinach, and kale are often hailed as the salad bar's nutritional powerhouses, the truth is that romaine is, as far as vitamins and minerals and all that good stuff is concerned, actually very comparable (and in some ways better) than its supposedly-so-much-more-virtuous cousins.
