Why To Eat A Salad At Every Meal On Atkins

The Atkins Diet has been around since the 1970s and has proven effective at reducing hunger and facilitating weight loss. The Atkins Diet program is based on four phases, all of which encourage you to eat 12 to 15g of net carbs a day from foundation vegetables, which are mainly high-fiber, non-starchy vegetables.

Atkins Diet Overview

All four phases of the Atkins eating plan advise you to include 12 to 15g of net carbs a day from high-fiber, non-starchy vegetables. Depending on your personal carbohydrate intake -- which you increase gradually over the weeks and which will vary depending on your individual tolerance -- you gradually add back small amounts of carbohydrates from nuts, milk, plain yogurt, berries and other fruits, legumes and grains. However, the core of the diet is based on protein from poultry, fish, meat, eggs and cheese as well as fats from butter, mayonnaise, vegetable oils, cream and bacon.

Foundation Vegetables

The Atkins Diet recommends around 6 cups of foundation salad vegetables, including include alfalfa sprouts, arugula, celery, chives, cucumber, endive, mushroom, parsley, radishes and romaine lettuce. These are called salad vegetables because they have the lowest carb content. As for other non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, spaghetti squash and tomato, you can include up to 2 cups in your diet if your carbohydrate intake stays within target.

Health-Protective Nutrients

The Atkins Diet recommends around 6 cups of salad vegetables each day because they are a good source of slowly digested and nutrient-dense carbohydrates. You do not have to eat them at every meal, but these salad vegetables should be a large part of the foods you eat daily while following the Atkins Diet. Consuming these salad vegetables is a good way to obtain all the nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants your body needs, without impairing your blood insulin and sugar levels, nor inhibiting your fat loss.

Constipation Prevention

Eating your 6 cups of salad vegetable a day is also important to prevent constipation when you're following the Atkins Diet. Constipation is a common issue, especially at the beginning, because many Americans are used to getting most of their fiber from whole grains and fruits. Because these foods are limited on the Atkins Diet, high-fiber salad vegetables can replace that fiber to prevent any gastrointestinal problems from happening. You should also drink a minimum of eight 8-oz. glasses of water to keep your bowels regular.