Fat Is Your Friend When Making High-Quality Salads

Have you ever had a salad and still felt hungry afterward? Do you always think of salads as a starter rather than a meal? If so, then like many of us you may actually be making your salads the wrong way. Sure –– salads require a veggie base to actually be a salad, but that doesn't mean it can't make you feel full and satisfied. So, what's the secret? Some people like to toss in protein like chicken, and others go for extras like croutons. In reality, though, there's one trick to a delicious, filling salad, and it's actually quite simple: it's all about fat.

Fats are the perfect way to add some welcome extra flavor and depth to your simple salad, which is one way to make your bowl of veggies a bit more exciting and delicious. Still, fats add more than just tastiness to your salad. Dietitian and NYIT School of Health Professions assistant dean of undergraduate affairs, Mindy Haar, Ph. D., told Healthline, "Fat is an energy provider. Fats are the last to leave the digestive tract and thus provide satiety." Not providing satiety is certainly a common complaint when it comes to salads that are just made up of simple veggies like lettuce and cucumbers. As a result, if you tend to skip the salad in lieu of something a bit more satisfying, adding a healthy fat just may be your answer. 

It's clear that salads need a little bit of fat to transform them from "rabbit food," as they say, into the perfect meal. Luckily, when it comes to adding healthy fats to a salad, there are more than a few options that are easy to obtain and will really up your salad game. Avocado is a classic when it comes to healthy fats, and topping a salad with slices of avocado, or mashing some up with spices, and mixing it in with your veggies are both great options that will make your salad feel a bit more filling and much tastier. 

Other popular salad ingredients that provide healthy fats include nuts like sliced almonds or pecans, and seeds like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. Many people will also be happy to learn that cheese is a great source of healthy fat (via Healthline), which means that throwing mozzarella or blue cheese in your salad is actually a great way to up your salad game. Some beans and legumes are also great options; try throwing some chickpeas or even tofu into your salad for extra heartiness. Greek salads chock full of feta and olives, or salads packed with nuts and cheeses are popular choices that will also give you the dose of fat needed to make your salad a healthy and filling meal.