Pep Up Your Salads with These Seven Foods

Is your salad stuck in a rut? Facing the same vegetables every day can feel like a chore. Perk up your salad by sprinkling a wide variety of healthy ingredients for extra texture, taste, and nutrients. Here are seven favorites from Gabrielle Gambino, registered dietitian nutritionist with Weill Cornell Medicine.

1. Avocado. This nutrient-packed “fruit” is rich in calcium, vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, fiber, lutein, and zeaxanthin (great for eye health), and healthy unsaturated fat. “Keep in mind that half an avocado has about 150 calories,” Gambino says, “so stick to no more than a quarter- or half-serving.”

2. Broccoli or cauliflower. These vegetables are high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. “I enjoy curried cauliflower or broccoli in salads,” says Gambino. “One cup of cauliflower contains 10 percent of your daily fiber.”

3. Kidney beans. Beans are high in protein and fiber, which promotes gut and heart health, helps control cholesterol and blood sugar, and keeps you full longer. Kidney beans are rich in calcium, magnesium, and iron. White navy beans are high in iron, fiber, folate, manganese, magnesium, protein, and thiamin (vitamin B9).

4. Mandarin oranges. Citrus fruits have high concentrations of vitamin C, an antioxidant that fights viruses and promotes both collagen formation and iron absorption. Citrus fruits also provide ample fiber. “Mandarin oranges are my favorite, particularly when paired with slivered almonds, romaine lettuce, and an oil and vinegar-based dressing,” Gambino says.

5. Quinoa. “This whole grain is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, protein, zinc, and all nine essential amino acids needed to produce new proteins,” Gambino says. “Just a half-cup of cooked quinoa can make a salad more delicious as well as filling.”

6. Sunflower seeds. Like nuts, seeds have lots of healthy unsaturated fats and fiber. “Seeds also are good sources of protein and micronutrients such as folate and vitamin E, which help reduce inflammation,” Gambino says. “Sunflower seeds in particular are chock-full of flavonoids,” Gambino says. Flavonoids are compounds that help regulate cell activity and keep cells healthy by fighting off free radicals caused by oxidative stress in your body.

7. Walnuts. All nuts are packed with healthy unsaturated fats and plant sterols, which help control cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health. “Walnuts in particular are extremely high in omega-3 fats, more than any other type of nut. Omega-3s help reduce inflammation and lower the risk for chronic disease,” Gambino says. “Plus, a quarter-cup of walnuts provides nearly half your daily manganese needs to support healthy bones, and collagen production for healthy skin.”

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