Next time you build a healthy salad for lunch or dinner, make yours a superfood salad with some of these nutritious foods. What’s a superfood salad? It’s a salad that has a leg up on other salads out there due to some delicious ingredients that are much more nutritious than iceberg lettuce, carrots, and croutons. Iceberg lettuce and carrots aren’t the worst things you could eat but they certainly aren’t going to keep you satisfied long. The superfood salad ingredients below are higher in vitamins and minerals than traditional salad ingredients, and more filling too. Now, who said salads had to be boring?
1 Herbs
One of my favorite things to make a superfood salad with are fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, and basil. Did you know herbs such as these have more chlorophyll than all veggies? They’re also incredibly delicious, low in calories, and help curb your sweet tooth. Cilantro and parsley detox the liver and blood while basil can help improve your immune health.
Frequently asked questions
2 Kale Greens
If you can take their bitter taste, massaged kale greens make a great superfood salad ingredient. If you’re new to using kale, use a mix of kale and romaine lettuce (which is sweeter in taste) to help you adjust to the healthy change. It’s best to massage kale greens with your hands first to break down the fibers and it’s easy to stem and shred into pieces for your salads. Kale is higher in vitamins and minerals than broccoli and fantastic for your overall health.
3 Avocados
Avocados are one of the easiest ways to make your salad more filling. These little fatty fruits are high in Vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, and monounsaturated fats. They help keep your skin smooth and moisturized, help keep you full, and improve your heart health too. Use around ¼ avocado per recipe.
4 Zucchini
Cucumbers are wonderful for you but when it comes to potassium and Vitamin C, zucchini squash wins out every time. It’s higher in both nutrients, extremely high in water, and contains Vitamin B6 to mellow you out. Zucchini can be grilled or steamed before being added to your salad, or feel free to eat it raw too.
5 Sweet Potatoes
Roast a sweet potato and chop it into pieces, then add ½ to your next salad and save the rest for later. Sweet potato makes a delicious addition to any salad and it dramatically increases the nutrition. Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A, C, fiber, potassium, iron, and magnesium.
6 Artichoke Hearts
If you haven’t ever had artichoke hearts, be sure you give them a try! These little babies are delicious and so nutritious for you. They actually have a slightly sweet, salty taste that curbs your sweet tooth and gives you plenty of fiber. One of my favorite things about artichoke hearts is they’re canned and easy to keep in your fridge all week without them going bad. Just grab two or three to add to each salad and you’re good to go!
7 Asparagus
Want to lean out and improve your mood? Eat more asparagus and get the best of both worlds! Asparagus has 4 grams of fiber and protein in just 4 stalks. It’s also high in potassium, which makes it a natural diuretic to beat bloat. Lastly, it’s high in Vitamin B6 to banish stress and give you a boost in energy.
Adding some of these ingredients to your next superfood salad will no doubt take things up a notch or two for you in the salad department. Best of all, these ingredients can be bought at any supermarket without breaking your budget. Do you eat any of these superfoods on your salads?
