Salads have a long history, beginning with basic greens and dressing, going through a time when gelatin salads were preferred, and transforming during the 1930s to resemble the tossed salads we enjoy today. The overall nutrition can be determined by considering some of the most common elements found in a tossed salad.
Greens
Iceberg lettuce, green leaf lettuce and spinach have almost the same nutritional value. A one cup serving size for all three is low in calories (5 to 10), they have 1 to 2 percent of the daily value (DV) of protein, 2 to 3 percent DV of dietary fiber and no fat. They provide 1 to 3 percent DV of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B6. Spinach and green leaf lettuce are rich sources of vitamin A (53 to 56 percent DV), vitamin K (181 and 78 percent respectively) and vitamin C (11 to 14 percent). Iceberg lettuce contains about 1/8 the amount of vitamins A and K and ¼ the amount of vitamin C. All the greens are low in minerals, although they provide 2 to 5 percent DV of potassium and 4 to 5 percent DV of manganese.
Vegetables
Three popular vegetables included in tossed salads are tomatoes, carrots and broccoli. One cup of cherry tomatoes has 26 calories, one medium carrot has 25, and one cup of broccoli florets has 20. They have no fat and supply 2 to 7 percent DV of dietary fiber. Each one provides thiamine (3 to 4 percent DV), riboflavin (2 to 5 percent DV) and niacin (3 to 4 percent DV). Broccoli is a great source of vitamin C (110 percent DV) and vitamin K (116 percent DV). Tomatoes are also high in vitamin C (32 percent DV), compared with 6 percent in carrots, which are a rich source of vitamin A (204 percent DV). Broccoli and tomatoes are also high (43 and 25 percent respectively). Each vegetable provides the essential minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc and copper (1 to 5 percent DV). They supply slightly more potassium (6 to 10 percent DV) and manganese (8 percent DV).
Proteins
Low fat cheddar cheese, ½ hard boiled egg and one slice of turkey breast each add 7 to 14 percent of the daily value of protein. Turkey is lower in calories (22 compared with 44 for egg and cheese). Cheese is highest in saturated fat (29 percent DV compared with 5 percent for eggs), but eggs have 40 percent DV of cholesterol. Turkey and cheese provide a trace amount of vitamins, but eggs supply 3 to 8 percent DV of the B vitamins and vitamin A. Cheese is a good source of calcium (12 percent DV) and phosphorus (14 percent DV); otherwise, the proteins only provide 1 to 3 percent of iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc.
Salad Dressings
Reduced-fat Italian, Ranch, and Thousand Island dressings were compared. Italian has half the calories and is slightly lower in fat; otherwise, a 2 tbsp. serving of all three provides virtually no vitamins and only 1 to 2 percent DV of iron, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium. The only significant nutrition provided is vitamin K (4 to 13 percent DV) and sodium (10 to 16 percent DV).
Considerations
A 2 tbsp. serving of reduced fat salad dressing adds 21 to 59 calories, so it's easy to quickly add calories with extra dressing. The proteins turn a salad into a complete meal, but you'll quickly add calories and fat content if you aren't aware of portion sizes.
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