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Healthy Living

February 2012
Best and Worst Fast Food Salads
Prachi Patodia Saraf
 
Walking into a fast food place and ordering just any salad might not be a healthy bet. Some salads are loaded with hidden calories like fried croutons,creamy dressings or full-fat cheese.

It is not easy to find out the calorie content of salads. However an easy rule of thumb is to avoid creamy dressings. Ask for more salad/veggies and get rid of the fried croutons and cheese.

According to Mumbai based nutritionist Naini Setalvad, the following are the best and worst salads you can order at your favourite fast food joint.

You should go for

Pizza Hut – Fresh garden salad (vegetarian)
Corn, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, pickled cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, bell peppers, and red cabbage with Italian herb dressing. Toppings of garlic croutons, pico de gallo and parsley. Make it even healthier by skipping the croutons.

KFC – Corn on the cob (vegetarian)
Corn with butter, lemon and chilli seasoning. Energy 89 kcal, protein 3 gm, carb 15 gm, total fat 2 gm.
Ask for corn without butter

Subway – Chicken tikka salad
Chicken tikka, vegetables and sauce. 132 calories, 99 per cent fat free.

Subway – Veggie delite salad (vegetarian)
Chicken tikka, vegetables and sauce. 132 calories, 99 per cent fat free.

You should avoid

Pizza Hut – Pasta mint (vegetarian)
Macaroni, mint, pineapple, black olives, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and bell peppers
with Italian herb dressing. White pasta is simple carbs with no fibre.

KFC – Cole slaw (vegetarian)
Mixed vegetables with mayonnaise dressing. Energy 131 kcal, protein 2 gm, carb 7
gm, total fat 11 gm. Mayo is high in calories and cholesterol.

Subway – Chicken teriyaki salad
Chicken, vegetables and sauce. 144 calories, 99.6 per cent fat free.

Subway - Veg shammi salad (vegetarian)
Soyabean nuggets, vegetables and sauce. 173 calories, 98.7 per cent fat free.

Prachi Patodia Saraf is a health enthusiast and marathon runner,Mumbai

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