If you're trying to lose weight, experts suggest "eat salads!" While the fresh veggies are absolutely full of fiber and low in calories, the tasty toppings of cheese, nuts, croutons, and dressing can really add up. Your simple salad could end up containing half a day's worth of calories! Check out the list of popular salad toppings below, and be extra aware that the more toppings you add, the more calories in your bowl.
| Topping |
Calories |
Total Fat (g) |
Sat Fat (g) |
Sodium (mg) |
Carbs (g) |
Fiber (g) |
Protein (g) |
| 1/8 cup sliced almonds [1] |
80 |
7 |
0.5 |
0 |
3 |
1.5 |
3 |
| 1/2 avocado [2] |
114 |
10.5 |
1.5 |
5.5 |
5.9 |
4.6 |
1.3 |
| 2 tbsp. bacon bits [3] |
50 |
2 |
0 |
220 |
4 |
2 |
6 |
| 1 oz. blue cheese [4] |
97 |
8 |
5.3 |
381 |
1.8 |
0.4 |
6.2 |
| 3 oz. grilled chicken strips [5] |
100 |
2 |
0.5 |
470 |
3 |
0 |
21 |
| 1/4 cup chickpeas [6] |
65 |
0.5 |
0 |
15 |
10.5 |
2.5 |
3.5 |
| 1/4 cup lowfat cottage cheese [7] |
45 |
1 |
0.5 |
230 |
2.5 |
0.5 |
6 |
| 1/8 cup craisins [8] |
46 |
0.4 |
0 |
0.4 |
12 |
0.8 |
0 |
| 10 garlic croutons [9] |
100 |
8 |
0 |
350 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
| 1 hard boiled egg [10] |
78 |
5.3 |
1.6 |
62 |
0.6 |
0 |
6.3 |
| 1/4 cup crumbled feta [11] |
90 |
7 |
4 |
390 |
2 |
0.5 |
7 |
| 1 oz. goat cheese [12] |
80 |
6 |
4 |
45 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
| 4 olives [13] |
25 |
2.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1/8 cup raisins [14] |
54 |
0.1 |
0 |
2 |
14.4 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
| 1 tbsp. salted sunflower seeds [15] |
47 |
4 |
0.4 |
33 |
1.9 |
0.7 |
1.5 |
| 3 oz. marinated tofu [16] |
120 |
6 |
1 |
480 |
4 |
1 |
13 |
| 7 walnut halves [17] |
93 |
9.2 |
.9 |
1 |
1.9 |
.9 |
2.2 |
Toppings like nuts and avocado aren't the only things to add calories to your salad — dressings are the culprit too. So here are 10 salad dressings under 50 calories [18] that you can pour on your greens.
Source: Flickr user Canadacow [19]
Links:
[1] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-nuts-almonds-sliced-or-whole_f-ZmlkPTE3OTk3Mw.html
[2] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-fresh-fruits-avocados-californian-raw-edible-portion_f-Y2lkPTM3MDY4JmJpZD0xJmZpZD02Mzg1NSZlaWQ9NTI1MTQ3Njc0JnBvcz0yJnBhcj0ma2V5PWF2b2NhZG8.html
[3] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-meal-components-dry-toppings-bacon-bits-imitation_f-Y2lkPTIwMTAyJmJpZD05MzAmZmlkPTE2MjE1NSZlaWQ9NTI1MTE5Mzk4JnBvcz0xJnBhcj0ma2V5PWJhY29uIGJpdHM.html
[4] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-cheese-blue-crumbled_f-Y2lkPTMwMjI0JmJpZD0xMzY2JmZpZD05MDc4MCZlaWQ9NTI1MTQ2ODQzJnBvcz0xJnBhcj0ma2V5PWJsdWUgY2hlZXNl.html
[5] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-chicken-fully-cooked-breast-strips-grilled_f-Y2lkPTMwNzk5JmJpZD0xMDUzJmZpZD05NTM4NSZlaWQ9NTI1MTUyMTE3JnBvcz0xJnBhcj0ma2V5PWdyaWxsZWQgY2hpY2tlbg.html
[6] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-canned-legumes-garbanzo-beans-organic_f-Y2lkPTgwMiZiaWQ9MzEzJmZpZD0xMDQyNjEmZWlkPTUyNTE1NjQ1NiZwb3M9MSZwYXI9JmtleT1jaGlja3BlYXM.html
[7] http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/kroger/lowfat-cottage-cheese/
[8] http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/generic/craisins/
[9] http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/generic/garlic-croutons/
[10] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-eggs-chicken-egg-whole-hard-boiled_f-Y2lkPTE2MDcxJmJpZD0xJmZpZD0xMTI5JmVpZD01MjUxNDg1NzAmcG9zPTEmcGFyPSZrZXk9aGFyZCBib2lsZWQgZWdn.html
[11] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-cheese-feta-crumbled-traditional_f-Y2lkPTMwMjI0JmJpZD0xMzY2JmZpZD05MDc3MSZlaWQ9NTI1MTQ0NTg1JnBvcz0xJnBhcj0ma2V5PWZldGE.html
[12] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-cheese-goat-milk-cheese-chevre_f-Y2lkPTMwMjI0JmJpZD0yNDQ5JmZpZD0xNDY3MjQmZWlkPTUyNTE0NjEyMyZwb3M9MSZwYXI9JmtleT1nb2F0IGNoZWVzZQ.html
[13] http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/generic/california-ripe-olives-black/
[14] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-dried-fruits-raisins-seedless_f-Y2lkPTM2NTYwJmJpZD0xJmZpZD02OTM4OSZlaWQ9NTI1MTU3MjQwJnBvcz0xJnBhcj0ma2V5PXJhaXNpbnM.html
[15] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-seeds-sunflower-seeds-kernels-dry-roasted-w-salt-added_f-Y2lkPTEwMTkwJmJpZD0xJmZpZD0xMjM3NTQmZWlkPTUyNTE1MDg3MCZwb3M9MiZwYXI9JmtleT1zdW5mbG93ZXIgc2VlZHM.html
[16] http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/generic/marinated-tofu/
[17] http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-nuts-walnuts-english_f-ZmlkPTYyNTMx.html
[18] https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Low-Calorie-Salad-Dressings-22060768
[19] http://www.flickr.com/photos/canadacow/43634294/