Peach Connection

If you are one of those dieters who like to opt for a salad every time you eat out, you should definitely be aware that not all salads are equally healthy. But with a little education, you can make smart substitutions to ensure everything stays low calorie, low fat, and highly nutritious.

Instead of Iceberg Lettuce, Have Spinach: Iceberg lettuce isn't bad for you, but it isn't exactly doing anything great for you either. Spinach has a ton of vitamins and antioxidants that can protect your cardiovascular system, boost your energy, and slow signs of aging.

Instead of Croutons, Have Nuts: Croutons are chunks of fried bread, and all of that oil will pack a bunch of unnecessary saturated fat and extra calories into your meal. Nuts on the other hand will give you a nice boost of protein, plus a few "healthy" fats that can actually help speed your weight loss.

Instead of a Creamy Dressing, have Vinaigrette: Ranch and bleu cheese dressing have gobs of saturated fat. Not only is vinaigrette dressing much lighter, but vinegar has been shown to help regulate insulin levels, which makes it easier to burn off body fat.

Instead of Fried Chicken, Have Grilled Chicken: Protein in your salad is definitely a good idea, but make sure it is of the grilled variety and not soaked in grease. If the salad's description includes the word "crispy," you can bet more than one ingredient has been deep-fried.

Unfortunately, almost all fast food salads are not very diet-friendly, with most packing over twenty grams of fat. Your best bet for eating a salad at a chain restaurant would probably be Subway, where the veggie delight salad has just one gram of fat and the Subway club salad has just 3.5 grams of fat, assuming you get the fat free Italian dressing for both.