Kale Superfood Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest salad of all time? ›

Often labeled as a superfood, kale is one of the healthiest and most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. This leafy green comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. It's often eaten raw in salads and smoothies but can also be enjoyed steamed, sautéed, boiled, or baked.

Broccolini^® & kale blend, maple vinaigrette dressing & dried sour cherries with roasted nut blend. *2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, but calorie needs vary.

Low in calories and high in fiber, kale is a nutritious, and tasty, superfood. Whether you want to lose weight, eat healthier, or both, these kale salads are a great way to reach your goal.

Worst: Iceberg Wedge Salad

Thanks to the blue cheese or ranch dressing and bacon crumbles, it can pack in four times the fat of a T-bone steak. It also falls short in the nutrition department. That's because iceberg lettuce contains fewer vitamins and minerals than most dark leafy greens.

Veggie: Celery

In fact, this vegetable doesn't contribute much to your body at all. The long, green stalks lacks many of the nutrients often found in other green vegetables, like vitamins C and A. Your body relies on vitamin C to help grow and repair cells, and vitamin A to promote eye, skin and bone health.

RELATED: Believe It Or Not, Kale Actually Lives Up To All Of Its Hype—Here's Why. Manganiello says you can eat kale every day, just don't overdo it. She recommends one to two servings maximum of kale per day, leaving room for other healthy foods that provide an assortment of nutrients.

"However, if you are looking for a food that is particularly high in fiber, vitamins K and C, kale is a better choice," she said. "If you are looking for a food that is particularly high in folate and a source of iron, and vitamins A and E, then spinach is a better choice."

Nutrition experts say steaming kale is a good way to make it easier to digest while preserving most of the nutrients.

In terms of the least healthy side dish at Chick-fil-A, Wheeler says that this honor goes to the mac and cheese, which has more calories than the fries. “It had 29 grams of fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,190 milligrams of sodium, and only three grams of fiber,” Wheeler says.

What happened to Chick-fil-A Superfood salad? ›

As of April 3, Chick-fil-A locations across the country will no longer offer the chain's Side Salad, which has existed on the Chick-fil-A menu in some form or another (sometimes with carrots and cabbage) for at least a decade.

Highly processed food, no matter the nutrient content, appears to be worse for your health than whole foods. That's why it's important to have Chick-fil-A only occasionally rather than making it a key part of your diet (5, 6 ).

Spinach and other leafy green vegetables like kale, lettuce, etc. are great for burning belly fat and are very nutritious as well. There have been some studies done on the subject of the fat burning capabilities of spinach and the very healthy veggie has come out a winner in this category.

Side Effects of Kale:

in 2021 emphasized the following facts: Consumption of kale in excess can lead to constipation and stomach irritation. Due to the presence of oxalates, kale can increase the risk of kidney stones.

Can you lose weight by eating a salad every day? "Eating salads on a daily basis as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may support gradual weight loss over time," says Karnatz. "This is because leafy greens are low in calories and high in volume and fiber, which will keep you satisfied for longer," she adds.

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest. The exception? We like products made with healthy swaps—think Greek yogurt in place of mayo or heavy cream.

While salads can be a healthy addition to a diet—even daily—it is possible to eat too much of it. "Excessive bloating may mean that you are having too many raw foods in your diet, which can be common to find in a salad," Redfield explains.

"Eating salads on a daily basis as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may support gradual weight loss over time," says Karnatz. "This is because leafy greens are low in calories and high in volume and fiber, which will keep you satisfied for longer," she adds.

The short answer is that it depends on your gut and regular eating habits. According to Food Fix founder Heather Bauer, RD, CND, eating more salad than you're used to can cause slight digestive side effects due to the high fiber content.