Salads can be delicious, heart-healthy, low-calorie food choices that contain a wealth of nutrients. Unfortunately, some of the most popular salads are high in cholesterol due to containing processed lunch meats, whole eggs, whole-fat cheeses or fatty salad dressings. Choose low-cholesterol salads filled with fresh vegetables, fruits and legumes, topped with non-fat or olive-oil based dressings, for a healthy light meal.
Leafy Green Salad
Salad greens are high in many vitamins and other nutrients, are very low in calories and contain no cholesterol. Add different kinds of salad greens in with your usual lettuce to vary the taste, texture and nutritional content, suggests the Colorado State University Extension. Arugula, baby bok choy, endive, mache and spinach are among the alternative greens that can add flavor and zip to a leafy green salad. Raw, diced vegetables also contain no cholesterol, and even if you're on a calorie-restrictive low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, you can add as many raw vegetables to your plate daily as you wish, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. Celery, cucumbers, peppers, radishes, mushrooms, onions and any other fresh raw vegetables can be added to your leafy green salad to taste. Top it off with a handful of dried cranberries, another "free" daily food item, according to the Rochester Medical Center. Chopped pickles, low-calorie salad dressing, or a squeeze of lime or lemon can add finish and flavor appeal.
Ambrosia Salad
All fresh fruits are recommended for daily consumption by people on low-cholesterol diets, according to the Mountain States Health Alliance, which also advises striving to make as many meals as possible with little or no fats and oils. Nutritionist Judy Hagan of the Utah State University Extension suggests a zero-cholesterol Honey Bee Ambrosia combining tropical and seasonal fruits with a sweet no-fat dressing: In a large bowl combine 3 medium oranges, peeled and cut up, 3 bananas, peeled and sliced, and 1 pint of sliced strawberries or other seasonal fruit. In a small saucepan, warm one-half cup orange juice, one-quarter cup honey and 2 tbsp. lemon juice. Cool and pour over fruit, stirring to mix. Sprinkle flaked coconut over the salad.
Fiesta Bean Salad
Beans are heart-healthy vegetables that add protein and substance to a summer salad. Of all of the salads prepared by nutritionists for a working lunch at the Utah State University Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, Fiesta Bean Salad had the highest protein levels among those salads with zero cholesterol. Presented by nutrition assistant Doris Trush, the salad is also easy to prepare with inexpensive, commonly available ingredients: Rinse and drain one 16-oz. can each of red kidney beans, yellow wax beans, green beans and garbanzo beans. Combine with 1 large red onion and 1 large green pepper, both sliced or diced to preference. Stir together one-half cup vinegar, one-half cup oil -- use olive oil for maximum health benefits -- and 1 cup sugar. Pour over the beans, add salt and pepper to taste, and let marinate at least 3 hours before serving.
