I've never considered myself a lover of salad, much less committed enough to eat a salad a day for a year. To me, anyone who claims they love salad is either a) lying or b) in love with the health benefits of salad, but not actually with the taste of raw lettuce. However, having eaten a balanced diet for most of my life, eating salads wasn't unusual for me, though I usually preferred the sweetness of fruits over the blandness of lettuce. So how did I end up eating a salad a day for a whole school year?
Going into my sophomore year of college, I decided I wanted to improve my lifestyle in a big way. I'd spent most of the summer hobbling around in a boot and going to physical therapy for a sprain-turned-tendinitis injury in my right ankle, an ordeal that involved lots of pain and, ultimately, self-reflection, which spurred me to take better care of my body for the rest of my life.
Just as importantly, I wanted to track the progression of my sophomore year in a way that would promote my well-being. I didn't have time to journal every day or make a yearlongvideo-diary, but I did have to eat every day. Living on campus again as a sophomore also meant I was stuck eating in the dining halls for another year, so I figured I'd get my money's worth by eating something that was actually healthy.
The Rules
To begin, I set some rules for myself. First, I had to take photos of every salad I ate as proof of consumption to hold myself accountable. While I received some concerned looks from strangers, I took photos of my salads anyway, and got into the habit of adding them to an album called "SALAD OF THE DAY" on my phone. Second, all the ingredients of the salads had to come from the dining hall, so I was forced to be creative with the ingredients available.
Third, I couldn't use any kind of salad dressing besides olive oil, because I wanted to avoid the hidden sodiummany dressings contain, regardless of how "healthy" they may seem. I know this sounds like some form of self-torture, but you'd be surprised at how quickly your tastebuds get used to raw lettuce that isn't coated in a buttermilk or oil-based dressing. Additionally, the other ingredients of my salads weren't bogged down by dressing, so I could taste them better and more thoroughly enjoy their flavors (though in all honesty, often they were equally tasteless).
The Journey
I began making salads with ingredients with which I was most familiar. My favorite lettuce base was spring mix, but since the dining hall usually only offered iceberg lettuce, I went with that about half of the time.
I'd add about two toppings solely to add flavor to the salad (since olive oil contributes next to nothing flavor-wise). For example, I'd add a small amount of crumbled feta cheese (too much contributesjust as much sodium as dressing does), dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, or—if it was available that day—bean and corn salsa.
As a last resort, I'd add shredded cheddar cheese, though I quickly learned that cheddar cheese and iceberg lettuce is not a favorite combo of mine (see below).
Next, I'd usually add a protein or "heavier" ingredient to the salad to increase its nutritional value. My go-to add-ins included things like shredded tuna, bits of hard-boiled egg, tofu, chickpeas, lima beans, green peas, or sweet potato and kale mix if it was offered that day.
These ingredients filled me up due to their higher protein content and gave the salad some physical mass, so I didn't feel like I was only eating an airy bed of greens.
Lastly, I always added extra fruits and vegetables to my salads, typically with no regard to how their flavors worked with the existing ingredients. For example, I'd add cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, baby carrots, grapes, strawberries, or cantaloupe. Just to be extra, I'd sometimes arrange them in an artsy-messy way, because salads can be aesthetic, too.
My Favorites
Something you learn from eating a salad every day is which ingredients surprisingly work well together, and which ingredients clash. Some of my favorite salads surprised me while others were known favorites. Either way, I discovered a few that were good enough for me to want to make them at home of my own accord.
The Salad: feta cheese, dried cranberries, green peas, spring mix, and olive oil
I liked the lightness of this salad, but also the saltiness of the feta and sweetness of the cranberries worked really well together.
The Salad: bean and corn salsa, hardboiled egg, grapes, spinach, and olive oil
Honestly, the salsa saved the taste of this salad, but the other ingredients still worked pretty well together.
The Salad: feta cheese, dried cranberries, green peas, tofu, kale, and olive oil
Again, the feta and cranberries were great, and the tofu added a nice source of protein and texture.
The Salad: corn and tomato salsa, grapes, spring mix, and olive oil
Another light salad — I imagine eating this at a summer picnic, served with barbecue and coleslaw.
The Salad: sweet potato and kale mix, wild grains, strawberries, kale, and olive oil
The sweet potato, strawberries, and grains made this salad filling and refreshing.
The Salad: green peas, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, feta cheese, kale, and olive oil
The green peas surprisingly worked with the other ingredients, all of which I used often in my salads.
I also grew strangely attached to an extremely tough, shredded kale mix served at the dining hall that had bits of carrot and purple cabbage mixed in (see above). It was so rough that I could physically feel it traveling down my esophagus with each swallow, but a dose of olive oil fixed its rough texture. Eating this uncompromising variety of kale so often and so willingly prompted my friends to call me a cow, but hey, I consider that a compliment.
The Off-Days
Just as any journey has its ups and downs, so did this one. As funny as it sounds, my salads reflected the mood I was in, my stress levels, or how generally content with life I was at the time I made the salad.
For example, on days (or sequences of days) that I was especially busy with school, my salads looked visibly sadder and tasted worse, but strangely enough, I couldn't bring myself to improve them—I just ate them more quickly to end the pain.
Other salads tasted bad because they were failed experiments in testing which ingredients worked with one another.
The Salad: green peas, beets and quinoa mix, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and olive oil
I quickly discovered that beets are my least favorite food due to both taste and texture.
The Salad: green peas, tuna, romaine lettuce, and olive oil
This salad was just sad, and its flavors were too distinct to pair well with one another.
The Salad: Hardboiled egg, cherry tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, and olive oil.
Nothing too wrong with this salad, but nothing great about it, either.
The Salad: Shredded cheddar cheese, sunflower seeds, quinoa, iceberg lettuce, and olive oil.
Can you tell by now that I'm not a huge fan of iceberg lettuce? Also, the quinoa was mixed with raw onions highly do not recommend this flavor combination for any occasion.
The Salad: kale, spinach, olive oil, and one strawberry
A reflection of a slightly frazzled day as shown by its hasty assemblage.
The Saddest Salad: romaine lettuce and olive oil
Another hastily prepared salad that was basically just a plate of lettuce. It would probably make my salad-hating roomie throw up, but I finished it anyway.
Additionally, I found myself eating these salads more mindlessly and without much thought to the flavors of their ingredients. However, I'd always try to eat without going on my phone so I could stay mindful of my meal, an act that also helped me momentarily forget my responsibilities and take a mental break from college life.
What I Learned
Even though the dining hall I ate at most frequently gets a lot of bad press among students who'd rather eat out or have "real" food, eating a salad a day from there made me more thankful for the food it offered on a daily basis.
My standards for salads also went down a lot, to the point where I can now eat a plate of raw lettuce without batting an eye at the taste (or lack thereof). Though admittedly cheesy, I even became friends with the dining hall staff, who recognized me as the girl who'd sit down with one plate of hot food and one plate of salad everyday at lunch.
More importantly, eating a salad a day genuinely felt good because I knew I was improving my health while expressing my creativity in at least a small way through deciding the ingredients that went into each salad. I felt healthier, had clearer skin, and had more energy to bike every day and go to the gym every week.
Additionally, I didn't get sick the entire school year, even when both my roommates were sick at the same time and our room was basically a breeding ground for the plague (their words, not mine). When I ate out, I began noticing how salty restaurant food was and became more aware of how to avoid hidden sodium in my diet.
As I look back on my sophomore year, eating a salad a day was my own, weird way of record-keeping, of creating a sense of progression to future days while maintaining a continuation with days past.The predictability of my salad routine, as well as the sense of newness offered by each salad combination, gave me a strange sense of contentment and accomplishment.
Eating a salad a day also gave me something to look forward to that counted strictly for myself, and that was completely unrelated to the mundaneness and stress of classes, extracurriculars, or college relationships.
Not everyone wants to eat salad a day (or maybe ever), so the key is finding a meaningful sense of progression in your life that works for you.Whether it's starting a workout routine with your best friend, making a stop motion video by adding a single freeze-frame a day, or sketching an object a day, the little moments of everyday life are absolutely worth remembering. After all,someone once said, "Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things."
FAQs
What happens when you start eating salad every day? ›
Aiming to eat salad every day is a great way to make sure your brain stays in tip-top shape. In fact, a 2018 study found that eating one daily improved the memory of elderly people by as much as 11 years. Even just half a cup of salad was enough to slow the rate of cognitive decline.
What happens to your body when you eat a lot of salad? ›According to Hoover, "eating salad every day can cause some individuals to feel bloated because too many raw veggies and roughage can be hard to digest." In a recent gastroenterology study, it was concluded that lettuce can in fact cause bloating, either related to increased gas through fermentation in the gut, or ...
What happens if I eat salad everyday for a month? ›Watch Out for Fad Diets
Since fad diets typically exclude entire food groups — such as dairy, grains and proteins in the case of traditional salads — they can result in nutrient deficiencies and weight loss that is mostly water weight and muscle mass.
So, theoretically, a 30-day salad diet can indeed be healthy and yield weight loss, but you need to be careful when choosing the ingredients and dressings. The widespread belief holds that all salads are low-calorie, but that is a dangerous belief, one able to destroy all your attempts to shed your pounds.
What is the healthiest salad to eat? ›Best: Caesar Salad
The lettuce is loaded with B vitamins, iron, and potassium. You could also use some grilled chicken, croutons, olive oil, mustard, and, if you're adventurous, anchovies.
Salads are a natural way of cleansing your body as they are a powerhouse of energy. Filled with cruciferous veggies and fresh produce, these enticing superfoods make detoxing downright delicious.
Is it OK to eat salad every day? ›Eating salad every day is a great habit to get into. Salads made with a variety of fruits and vegetables make the perfect healthy lunch or dinner. That's because they're filled with tons of nutrients that benefit your body, like fiber, vitamin E, and vitamin C.
What happens if you only eat salad and drink water for a week? ›You would die of starvation.
Drinking nothing but water is actually natural, so no problem there. Eating only salad is not natural. It is essential that humans get protein and quickest and easiest way to get protein is to eat meat.
Eating about one serving per day of green, leafy vegetables may be linked to a slower rate of brain aging, according to a study published in the December 20, 2017, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
How much is too much salad? ›Dr. Sharma, who teaches an Ayurvedic cooking class at the Art of Living Retreat Center in North Carolina, echoes the sentiment, saying that, while the exact number varies for each person, she recommends beginning with raw veggies comprising no more than 10 to 25 percent of your daily diet.
Can you live on salad-only? ›
Despite their benefits, it's impossible to live a life on salads alone, even if you're trying to lose weight. Salad-only diets lack the nutrients to power your mind and body in the long-term, and beyond that, they're often hard to sustain in your daily life.
Can eating too much salad cause stomach problems? ›You may occasionally experience stomach pain after eating salads. It's hard to believe that something as innocuous as lettuce could cause stomach pain. However, many people find that they have stomach cramps and diarrhea after eating salad, and sometimes it's pretty severe.
Are salads actually healthy? ›Salads can be a good way to get your important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. However, not all salads are healthy or nutritious. It depends on what is in the salad.
What happens if I eat green salad everyday? ›Your leafy greens and raw veggies are a superb source of natural fiber, and consuming enough fiber each day has several health advantages: Fiber helps to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol. It helps to control blood sugar. Adequate fiber intake helps with weight loss and healthy weight maintenance.
How long does it take for salad to get out of your system? ›A salad: 1 hour
If you add an oil-based dressing or a protein like cheese or chicken, digestion will take longer. While a salad on its own will digest quickly, the high water and fiber content of lettuce and vegetables helps you feel full.
Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest.
What is the healthiest lettuce for salad? ›So, to answer your question, the most nutritious lettuce is Romaine. Compared to red leaf, green leaf, butterhead (Boston and bib types) and iceberg, it delivers more folate, potassium, beta carotene and lutein.
Are bagged salads healthy? ›Are bagged salad kits good for you? Salad kits are a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, which is never an entirely bad thing. But all the toppings that make these salads taste so good also bump up the saturated fat, sugar and calories.
Does salad clean your colon? ›Salad comprised of raw vegetables is a natural colon cleanser. (Sorry! Potato and pasta salads don't count, but there are lots of other delicious options). Raw vegetables not only provide vital nutrients to keep your body humming, but the fiber in them is safe and vital for a healthy colon.
Is salad good for losing belly fat? ›Is salad good for losing belly fat? Salads that contain fresh green leafy vegetables such as palak or spinach, cabbage and so on are especially great for burning down the fat that is stored around the belly area.
Are Chick Fil A salads healthy? ›
With a combination of greens, fresh fruit, nuts, and grilled chicken, the Market Salad is one of the most nutritionally balanced options at Chick-fil-A, according to Amer. The bed of lettuce, chicken, fruits, contains 340 calories, 14 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbs, and 28 grams of protein.
What happens to your body when you eat salad for a week? ›Salad enhances the good bacteria in our gut - it makes digestion and metabolism better, as a result, helps to boost our energy level. When eaten consistently not only you will experience a feeling of fullness rather you will also not feel constipated'.
How many days a week should I eat a salad? ›Eating a salad a few times a week can significantly increase your vegetable intake, providing more of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Adding a salad to your meals every day is one of the simplest dietary changes you can make to improve your health.
Can you gain weight by eating salads? ›Salads chock full of fiber-rich vegetables can be very weight-loss-friendly. On the other hand, those doused in high-calorie dressing or topped with unhealthy ingredients are not. Premade salads, such as those in grocery stores or fast food restaurants, can be very high in calories, sugar and unhealthy fats.
Why do I crave salad? ›It's a thing. Yes, sometimes we do crave fresh food and vegetables like kale or broccoli. Many times this desire for fresh ingredients appears when your body needs more Vitamin C, calcium, iron or magnesium. “If you begin to crave fruits and vegetables, then indulge away!” Newhouse said.
Does salad count as water intake? ›A single cup of it contains 115 g of water. Water makes up over 95% of raw lettuce. In addition to helping you stay hydrated, lettuce helps with bone strength, vision, and sleep.
What does salad do to your intestines? ›“Salad wants to move through the body faster than denser food.” Putting raw, water-packed vegetables into your body first helps to lubricate your digestive path, and acts as “an enzymatic spark,” she says, one that makes it easier to later move heavier food through the body.
Is salad good for anxiety? ›JOONDALUP, Australia — A salad a day keeps anxiety away. That's the takeaway from a new study that reveals a simple tactic to a healthier and happier life. Researchers from Edith Cowan University report that eating more fruits and vegetables can help reduce daily stress.
Does salad help with anxiety? ›Researchers⁷ at the State University of New York found that anxious symptoms are linked with a lower antioxidant state and that antioxidants can help with mood, too. Dark, leafy greens like kale, which is rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, are needed to boost antioxidant levels and support optimal brain functioning.
Does lettuce stretch your stomach? ›Competitive eaters have been known to use some other tricks as well, such as eating several heads of romaine lettuce to stretch the stomach without making you feel that full. Since each head contains only about 100 calories, this might be a little healthier approach.
Are cucumbers fattening? ›
First of all, they are low in calories. Each one-cup (104-gram) serving contains just 16 calories, while an entire 11-ounce (300-gram) cucumber contains only 45 calories (1). This means that you can eat plenty of cucumbers without packing on the extra calories that lead to weight gain.
What are the side effects of lettuce? ›What are the side effects of lettuce? Consuming lettuce in excess can cause many side effects. These are mydriasis (dilation of the pupil), photophobia (inability to look at bright light), dizziness, heart and breathing difficulty, excessive sweating, hallucinations, and induced sleep.
Do humans need salad? ›Lettuce, spinach, and other salad greens are an important part of a healthful diet because they can be year-round sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, and other nutrients. Red and dark green leafy vegetables are generally higher in antioxidants, Vitamin B6, and other nutrients than lighter colored greens.
What happens if you dont eat enough salad? ›You could become deficient in vitamins and minerals
Eating too few fruits and veggies can result in nutrient deficiencies. According to Laura Moore, a registered dietitian at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, many deficiencies can have unpleasant side effects.
You need approximately 7-10 cups of salad per day to fuel the cells in your body. And the heavier you are, the more greens you need per day to nourish your body. The good news is that salad is easy for your body to digest. One for lunch and one for dinner and you've nourished your body for the day.
Is salad hard on your digestive system? ›Salads have a reputation for being a superb way to add more healthy foods to your diet. And they are! But they can also be hard on your digestion. If you experience bloating, gas, or other GI issues after a salad, it may be time to take a closer look at your plate.
Can too much lettuce make you sick? ›If large quantities of lettuce take the place of other nutritious foods, you won't get all your daily nutrients. This type of imbalanced diet will not support your health. While getting more fiber by increasing lettuce intake is healthy, you may experience digestive problems if you overindulge.
Why do I have diarrhea every time I eat salad? ›Salad and other foods high in fiber can often trigger a bowel movement and possibly even diarrhea since some people do not always digest it well. However, diarrhea after eating a salad could also indicate exposure to contamination from spoiled or improperly washed ingredients.
What not to put in salad? ›- Creamy Dressings. These are probably the worst dressings you can choose. ...
- Glazed Nuts. Nuts are healthy fats and a great addition to any salad — that is, until they're kettle-cooked and glazed with sugar. ...
- Crunchy Tortilla Chips or Shells. ...
- Fried Chicken or Shrimp. ...
- Cheese. ...
- "Craisins" ...
- Croutons.
Leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, Swiss chard, and bok choy are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Adding a variety of greens to your diet may help boost brain health and lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure. Leafy green vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet.
Are salads healthier than burgers? ›
A good burger gives you plenty of energy, protein and a lot of fibre; all of these help you feel satiated. Salads do contain a lot of vegetables that carry vitamins, minerals, and fibre. But the problem is they often lack overall energy and protein.
What happens if I eat salad all the time? ›If you start eating a salad every day, the primary side effect you will notice is a huge boost in nutrient consumption. The nutrients you get will largely be dependent on the ingredients you choose, but there are likely a few vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you can count on being present in your salad.
Is salad good for your skin? ›Salads Activate Collagen
Collagen present in the body is activated by the nutrients in vegetables. This is important to keep the skin fresh and free from wrinkles. It also makes the skin clear and reduces any dark circles around the eyes. So this is one of the best reasons that you should eat more salads.
The best greens for your guts include kale, spinach, beet greens, mustard greens, dark green leaf lettuce and Romaine lettuce. You can consume them as salads, or opt for the good old' way of steaming or sautéing.
Does salad make your bowels move? ›Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. If you've been dealing with constipation issues, make yourself a hearty salad with spinach and other leafy greens. They contain insoluble fiber and are proven to ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
What food takes the longest to digest? ›The foods with the longest time to digest are bacon, beef, lamb, whole milk hard cheese, and nuts. These foods take an average of about 4 hours for your body to digest. The digestion process still occurs even when asleep. Which means our digestive fluids and the acids in our stomach are active.
Can you lose weight eating a salad everyday? ›Eating salad every day is one way to help you lose weight. When you're trying to drop some extra pounds, it's important to fill your plate with nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods.
Is eating raw salad everyday good for you? ›Eating salads every day can be one of the most healthy eating habits you can adopt. They're quick and simple to prepare at home and to order at your favourite restaurant when dining out. Salads are loaded with nutritional benefits that are good for your health.
Why am I not losing weight eating salad? ›You're not eating enough calories.
Eating salads everyday benefits your health, but vegetables have fewer calories, lots of fiber, and keep you full longer. These foods can cause you to feel as if you are eating a lot of food when in fact you might barely be consuming 1,200 calories a day.
- Beans. “Becoming a bean lover can help you lose weight and whittle your middle,” registered dietitian Cynthia Sass told Today. ...
- Swap your beef for salmon. ...
- Yogurt. ...
- Red bell peppers. ...
- Broccoli. ...
- Edamame. ...
- Diluted vinegar.
Can you live off salad? ›
Despite their benefits, it's impossible to live a life on salads alone, even if you're trying to lose weight. Salad-only diets lack the nutrients to power your mind and body in the long-term, and beyond that, they're often hard to sustain in your daily life.
What happens when you eat a green salad everyday? ›Your leafy greens and raw veggies are a superb source of natural fiber, and consuming enough fiber each day has several health advantages: Fiber helps to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol. It helps to control blood sugar. Adequate fiber intake helps with weight loss and healthy weight maintenance.
Is salad good for your gut? ›Leafy greens, such as spinach or kale, are excellent sources of fiber, as well as nutrients like folate, vitamin C, vitamin K and vitamin A. Research shows that leafy greens also contain a specific type of sugar that helps fuel growth of healthy gut bacteria.
How often does the average American eat a salad? ›The average American eats four salads every week, and 62% said the dish is part of their regular diet. While it's a common meal, there are a lot of factors that go into creating the ideal salad.