Salad is an obvious go-to food for healthy eating. Lately, in my attempt to get back on the train of healthier eating, I have been purchasing salad greens a lot more. I usually buy a container of spring mix: baby lettuces (red and green romaine, red and green oak leaf, red leaf, lolla rosa, tango), red and green chard, mizuna, arugula, radicchio, and baby spinach. I’ve never really considered if this was the best choice for optimal nutrition; I just liked spring mix greens for my salad. I also like baby spinach and arugula mix. I thought about it though. If I’m going to give up my doughnuts for greenery, I might as well make sure I’m getting the biggest bang for my bite. I came across this article that ranked eight popular salad greens in order from least to most nutritious, according to the CDC’s powerhouse fruits and vegetables list.
The CDC determined the nutritional density of certain fruits and vegetables by looking at how well they fulfilled the average person’s daily requirement for 17 important nutrients: potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K.
They assigned each food a specific nutrient density score, on a scale of zero to 100, that calculates to what extent 100 grams of each green includes the daily recommended amount of these 17 nutrients, assuming a 2,000 calorie diet.
The prime performer was watercress with a nutrient density score of 100. The weakest link was iceberg lettuce with a nutrient density score of 18.28. Chick-fil-A actually banned iceberg lettuce for its low nutrition. Side note: reading about Chick-fil-A’s attempt to make a healthier menu does not help my cause. I do not need any extra supporting information to help rationalize why I should make a Chick-fil-A stop. Back to iceberg lettuce, I wouldn’t totally kick it to the curb. If you have limited choices, some nutrition is better than none. Plus it has high water content, which is a good thing. Spinach, chicory, and leaf lettuce received good nutrient density scores. Romaine did well too with a score of 63.48.
Off the subject of salad greens for a second, to my surprise, collard greens didn’t do too bad! They received a nutrient density score of 62.49. I love collard greens, so I’ll keep them regularly on my menu!
Anyway, here is a cucumber watercress salad I am going to try. Healthy eating!
P.S Take control of your health
Photo credit: Me
