Here is a definition of the noun “SALAD”: a cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing and sometimes accompanied by meat, fish, or other ingredients.
Looking at the above definition, the nebulous components of this are “other dressing” and “other ingredients”.
First, the “other dressing”: When this turns into a creamy Caesar, Thousand Island, Honey Mustard or similar types of dressings, this adds a bunch of calories and fat into the salad.
Now, the “other ingredients”: This is where “salads” may become more dangerous to weight loss efforts than a sandwich and fries. The “add-ons” may include high fat cheeses, croutons, rasins and other fruits/carbs/fats.
Looking at the protein part of the salad, when this is a “crispy chicken”, “buffalo chicken” or similar fried/heavily marinated meat/poultry/fish, this will add on many calories and fat to the meal. The other day we were at the restaurant Glory Days and I was looking specifically at the calorie counts of the different salads. Their grilled chicken salad (full portion) was 440 calories vs. the buffalo chicken salad (full portion) that contained 1500 calories. There is a greater than 1000 calories difference between two “salads” that seem to be similar in nature.
Turning to the Mexican/Tex Mex places: The menus usually include a “taco salad” offering. This salad usually comes in some sort of fried, eatable tortilla bowl and contains lots of cheese, guacamole, avocado and other ingredients that turn this type of “salad” into a derailing meal.
Years ago, there was a bank commercial that asked the question: “What is in YOUR wallet?” with the hope that the Capital One card was the chosen bank. Posner is now asking the question: “What is in YOUR salad?” hoping that the answer includes lots of grilled protein, lots of vegetables and some low fat/non creamy salad dressing.
