1. Color your Plate
with Salad!
Salad:
For Your Health!
Build a
Healthy
SALAD
Salads are a great way to
load up a meal with
fresh veggies!
It is important to get a variety
of vegetables in the diet.
Vegetables provide many
nutrients such as:
-Potassium: help to maintain
healthy blood pressure
-Folate: helps the body form
red blood cells
-Vitamin A: keeps eyes and skin
healthy and protects against
infections
-Vitamin C: helps heal cuts and
wounds and keeps teeth and
gums healthy
-Fiber: helps lower cholesterol,
improves digestive function,
and keeps you full for longer
…and many more!
Plus, they are naturally low in
fat and calories!
Mix it up!
All vegetables have different
nutrients – go for a variety of
different colors togive yourbody
the perfect combination of
nutrients!
Red: beets, red cabbage,
radishes, tomatoes, red bell
peppers
Orange/Yellow: carrots, sweet
potatoes, pumpkins, orange and
yellow bell peppers, rutabaga,
squash, corn
Green: artichokes, asparagus,
avocados, green peppers, green
beans, Brussels sprouts, green
cabbage, cucumbers, kale,
lettuce, green onions, peas,
spinach, zucchini
Blue/Purple: eggplant
White: cauliflower, garlic,
mushrooms, jicama, onions,
parsnips, turnips
And…
Reduce your risk for
heart disease, cancer,
obesity, type 2 diabetes,
and more!
 
 
Emily Gerlach
Benedictine University
Dietetic Intern/MS Student
March 2016

2. Salads don’t have to be
boring…
THEME YOUR
SALAD
Eat This, Not That
EAT THIS
For protein: chicken, turkey, fish, tofu,
egg, beans
For toppings: any fresh vegetable or
fruit, nuts and seeds, low-fat cheese
For dressing: Oil and vinegar, lite/low-
fat vinaigrettes
For other salads: quinoa salad, veggie
salad, Asian slaw, black bean and corn
salad, lentil salad, fresh fruit salad
Mexican
Shredded Lettuce, Black
Beans, Corn, Bell Peppers,
Jalapeno, Pico de Gallo,
Avocado, LF Shredded
Cheddar Jack
Oriental
Cabbage, Bean Sprouts, Snow
Peas, Green Onion, Celery,
Mandarin Oranges, Slivered
Almonds, Tofu
Italian
Mixed Greens, Tomatoes, Red
Onion, Asparagus, Roasted
Garlic, Basil, Parmesan or
Mozzarella
Greek
Spinach, Garbanzo Beans,
Artichoke Hearts, Sundried
Tomatoes, Red Onion,
Kalamata Olives, Lemon, Feta
Cheese
NOT THAT
For protein: fried meats, salami,
pepperoni, red meats
For toppings: croutons, tortilla strips,
Chinese noodles, olives, full-fat cheese
For dressing: ranch dressing, honey
mustard dressing, Thousand Island,
creamy French dressing
For other salads: pasta salad, potato
salad, coleslaw