A platter of crisp, fresh green leaves mixed together is a snack and meal that we have come to know. Salads are foods that people shove into their mouths when they are trying to go on a diet. Though many realize they can be unhealthy, they don’t understand why and how bad it is. Battered with fat loaded dressings and other toppings to a heart’s desire, a serving of this deceiving food may affect you more than you thought.

A McDonald’s BBQ Ranch Burger is 350 calories, less than its Premium Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken has 450 calories. When the body obtains too many calories, it is stored in the body as fat, which can lead to multiple health problems in the future like high blood pressure and diabetes. The burger is also packed with 16 grams of fat, the salad totaling up to 21 grams. The fact that a loaf of green leaves can be labeled a salad tricks people into believing that it will do benefits for them. However, it is evident that the salad contains more fat than the burger.

Some people say that organic means better when talking about salad, but that is not necessarily true. According to Marie Claire, it’s not organic that matters- it’s freshness. After a vegetable has been picked, it will slowly decline in nutrients. An inorganic vegetable that has been recently picked will have more nutrients in it compared to an unfresh one. An older, organic salad is a worse option than a new, inorganic one.

Though lots of salads are unhealthy, that doesn’t mean all are. Calorie Count states ranch dressing can have 148 calories per serving, which can add a lot of fat to your salad. Also, chowing down on lightly tinted lettuce is less nourishing than darker colored lettuce. This is because they provide more nutrients. Since darker is healthier, spinach would be better to use than iceberg lettuce. Simply cutting down on ranch dressing, choosing healthier toppings, and swapping light green lettuce for a darker shade will improve the nutrition of your salad.

Thoughtfully selecting the right components of your salad can completely transform how healthy it is. With a bad decision, the meal can easily rack up hundreds of calories and plenty of fat. However, it isn’t hard to choose the perfect salad. It is all about keeping an eye out for each ingredient.