In an effort to be healthier, Americans have turned to salad. And it’s true – when not drowning in calorific dressings or covered in breaded and fried chicken, salads are a pretty healthy, nutritious food that will help you manage your weight. But you may not want to eat your lunch when you read these five facts.
1. Your Salad Might Be One of the Most Calorific Options on the Menu
We all know that person: the one who proclaims, “I’m just getting a salad,” and then chooses the one loaded up on fried chicken or mountains of creamy dressing. Not to mention that restaurant salads have typically some of the hugest portions on the menu. Trust us, if you’re passing up the burger for that gargantuan salad topped with chicken tenders and bacon, your priorities might need a reevaluation.
2. Fast Food Salads Contain Antifreeze
To keep the greens in your salad greener and crisper, fast food chains add the same chemicals used in antifreeze and some sexual lubricants. Sexy?
3. To Rewash or Not to Rewash?
There is big debate in the food and agriculture world about whether or not you should rewash prewashed bagged salads. Proponents for rewashing say that the prewashing is accomplished using chemicals and potentially not the cleanest water; those against it warn of cross-contamination (your cutting board may be dirtier than the spinach you’re washing) and say that rewashing will not remove pesticides or e.coli. So the decision is up to you…
4. White Salad Dressings Are Part Sunscreen
Ever heard of titanium dioxide? No? This chemical is usually found in sunscreen and paint, but it also can be found in your cream-based salad dressings. The chemical is added to make them look whiter.
5. Your Lettuce Wedge Is Disgusting
Ever have an iceberg lettuce wedge salad? Delicious, perhaps, but also pretty filthy. Normally, lettuce leaves are separated for a reason – they are a lot easier to wash that way. The wedge, on the other hand, has a million nooks and crannies where bugs, worms, dirt, and bacteria can hang out until you digest them. Bon appetit!
