Salads, Turkey Burgers, and Veggie Burgers

We continue our series of Two-Faced Foods with a look at prepared salads, turkey burgers, and restaurant-style veggie burgers. This series is all about foods that can make or break your weight loss efforts depending on how they’re prepared or how they’re consumed.

Check out the previous installments:

Two-Faced Foods: Part 1 CLICK HERE

Two-Faced Foods: Part 2 CLICK HERE

Chicken / Tuna Salad, Caesar Salads, and Cobb Salads: I apologize if this is obvious, but I just wouldn’t feel right leaving it out! Remember: a salad is only as healthy as the ingredients that make it up. While tuna meat is very healthy on its own, tuna salad prepared with real mayonnaise is fattening. A half-cup serving of traditional tuna salad has 20 – 40 grams of fat! However, if you take that same tuna meat and mix it with plain yogurt, non-fat mayo, or fat-free sour cream its virtually fat-free. The same principles apply to all salads. For example, on the Chili’s website, a traditional Caesar salad made with parmesan cheese, buttery croutons, and creamy dressing has a whopping 520 calories and 43 grams of fat and most people eat this as a starter! Why waste that many calories on a salad when you could have an ice cream sundae for the same damage? Next time you order a salad in a restaurant, be specific about what you want. You can ask them to “hold” the cheese, bacon, dressing, and croutons and “add” things like grilled chicken, extra veggies, and even a side of wheat bread!

Salads can be exceptionally good for you when you take the time to prepare them right. For example, grab a big bowl and pile in some leafy greens, fresh veggies, tangy fruit, a sprinkling of nuts or a few chunks of avocado, some beans, lean meat, and a drizzle of low-fat/low-calorie dressing. Serve it with a nice slice of whole-wheat bread and you’ve got a giant meal that is tasty, nutritious, full of fiber, and low in fat and calories!

Turkey Burgers and Veggie Burgers: It’s tempting to think your safe ordering a turkey burger or a veggie burger at a restaurant, but in reality, these items are often just as fattening as a cheeseburger. For example, a turkey burger from Ruby Tuesday with no sides rings in at 813 calories and 45 grams of fat and their veggie burger is even worse with 945 calories and 51 grams of fat. Ouch!

A turkey burger is only low in fat if it’s made with 100% white meat. Unfortunately, 100% white meat is more expensive and harder to prepare than fattier turkey meat. Restaurants have learned that people like the taste of fatty meat better and they’ve learned that they can get away with just putting the word “turkey” on the menu and many customers will automatically think it’s a “lean” dish. A lot people are happy just thinking they’re making a smart choice by eating a turkey burger and never actually inquire about the nutrition facts.

The next time you see a turkey burger on a menu, do yourself a favor and ask if it’s made of 100% white meat. Also be cautious of how it is served; letting it come out smothered in cheese, bacon, mayo, or other add-ons will negate the benefits of lean meat! Ask for it served on a dry, toasted wheat bun if they have them. You can ask for things like pickles, lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, or any other fat-free condiments on top. And see if they will give you a side of steamed veggies, a fruit cup, cottage cheese, or a side salad in place of fries!

Veggie burgers are also hit or miss at restaurants. At some establishments they are very light, healthy options, and at others, as you can see from the Ruby Tuesday example above, they’re a heart-attack waiting to happen. I can’t figure out how they fit so much fat into one meat-free patty! When you come across a veggie burger ask how much fat it has and/or what brand they use. If they use a brand you know, like Boca Burgers or Garden Burgers, you’re safe. If they have no information on the nutrition facts and they make them on site, you’re better off not taking the risk.

Make sure you check back tomorrow for Two-Faced Foods: Part 4!

To read Two-Faced Foods: Part 1 CLICK HERE

To read Two-Faced Foods: Part 2 CLICK HERE

To read Two-Faced Foods: Part 4 CLICK HERE

To read Two-Faced Foods: Part 5 CLICK HERE