Let’s face it, most salads are boring, tasteless and totally unappetizing. Overflowing bowls of green lifeless leaves with no flavor are sure to send your diet into meltdown, as such an empty meal lacking calories and proper nutrition will not fill you up by any stretch of the imagination. Fortunately salads don’t have to be as dull and dreary as you might initially imagine, as there are so many simple ways that you can spice up your salad to give it that boost it so desperately needs. So, if you want to learn how to love salads, then read on to uncover more about how to revamp and upgrade your lettuce leaves now! 

Bulk Up With Protein

One of the best ways to spice up your salad is by adding a few tasty yet nutritional protein sources. There are so many different options that you can choose between, but your main priority when making a decision should be the health benefits of your addition. For example, adding some lean chicken breast will pack an amino acid punch, whereas the addition of tofu or hard cheese can provide you with a bunch of calcium. You can also use boiled eggs, oily fish such as mackerel or salmon, legumes like chickpeas or lentils and so much more! Protein is always an essential part of any meal, so next time you chow down on a salad be sure to add a handful of protein to your plate. 

 

Experiment With Unsaturated Fats 

Another brilliant way to add more flavor to your salad is by experimenting with unsaturated fats. There’s a huge difference between saturated and unsaturated fats, as saturated fat can raise your cholesterol whereas unsaturated fat can actually help to lower your risk of heart disease. There are many healthy sources of unsaturated fat that you can add in small quantities to your salads, including nuts, seeds and avocado. Walnuts, pecans and cashews match well with leafy greens, while sunflower and poppy seeds can make a brilliant sprinkled topper. Just make sure you don’t go overboard with unsaturated fats, as although they are healthy they contain a lot of calories which could disrupt your diet.

 

Oils, Dressings & Sauces

Oils, dressing and sauces can be a brilliant way to spice up your salad, but it’s absolutely vital that you can choose natural, unprocessed options if you want to keep your meal as healthy as ever. Mayonnaise, Thousand Island dressing and other similar off-the-shelf sauces are very calorific and often contain lots of saturated fats, so it’s best to choose pure oils or make your own dressings from scratch at home. Whipping up a greek red wine vinaigrette is the perfect way to transform your salad into something delicious! 

Utilizing a couple of these simple methods to spice up your salad will help you learn to love leafy greens, so there’s no time like the present to boost your meals with protein, unsaturated fats and healthy oils or dressings.