Weight Loss – Make the Salad Bar Work for You
Salads can be a great option when trying to lose weight, but it can quickly become a disaster for even the best weight loss plan if you make the 5 mistakes below.
Mistake #1 – Selecting iceberg lettuce.
Iceberg lettuce is one of the most common forms of lettuce you’ll find on a salad bar. Think of iceberg lettuce as crunchy water providing minimal nutrients. Select dark green, leafy lettuce varieties, such as romaine and endive.
Mistake #2 – Skimping on fresh vegetables.
Pile on fresh vegetables, such as peppers, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, and mushrooms. Fresh vegetables are low in calories and rich in vitamins and minerals.
Mistake #3 – Loading up on salad toppings.
Salad toppings, such as croutons, sesame noodles, and bacon bits should be used sparingly. They are low in nutrients and high in calories.
Mistake #4 – Selecting a high fat, high calorie salad dressing.
You don’t want to ruin a nutritious salad with a poor dressing choice. Opt for vinegar based salad dressings or low fat/calorie salad dressing and use sparingly. Tip: Dip your fork in a small cup of salad dressing before every bite instead of pouring the dressing on your salad.
Mistake #5 – Making too many trips to the salad bar.
Just because the salad bar may include unlimited trips doesn’t mean you have to go back multiple times. Decide in advance how many trips you’ll make and stick with your plan. Even though a well-balanced salad is a healthy choice, too much of a good thing can quickly turn bad!
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
How to boost dietary fiber intake without elevating uric acid.
Question:
How do you boost fiber intake if you have to watch your uric acid levels?
Answer:
Too much uric acid leads to problems with gout (inflammation/pain in your joints).
Fortunately, a diet that is “gout friendly” will also benefit your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as weight loss efforts.
Here are 4 tips:
- Avoid alcohol or limit intake
- Drink plenty of water (stay hydrated!)
- Maintain an ideal body weight – if you need to lose weight avoid fasting or quick weight loss schemes
- Avoid foods high in purines
Uric acid comes from the breakdown of purines. Purines make up human tissue and they are found in foods. Which is why limiting foods with high in purines content is beneficial.
Foods to limit/avoid – alcohol, anchovies, sardines in oil, herring, organ meat, legumes (dried beans, peas, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower, yeast, meat extracts, and gravies.
Foods that are beneficial to gout treatment include fresh berries, bananas, tomatoes, celery, cabbage, parsley, green-leafy vegetables, pineapple, red bell peppers, tangerines, oranges, potatoes, low fat dairy, whole grain breads and pastas, tuna, salmon, nuts, seeds, and tofu.
In my recent article – High Fiber Diet Plan to Lower Cholesterol and Lose Weight – I recommended legumes as a good high fiber source to increase. If uric acid levels are an issue for you, legumes is not the best source for increasing your fiber intake. Instead, rely on whole grain breads, cereals, and pastas, as well, as fruits and vegetables beneficial to gout treatment that I’ve listed above to get your daily dietary fiber.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
