The Best And Worst Salad Greens

Last Place (But Still Not Bad!): Iceberg 

Per 100 grams:
14 calories 1 gram of fiber
18 milligrams of calcium
2.8 milligrams of vitamin C
502 International Unitis of vitamin A
"The darker the leaves is usually correlated with more nutrition,” says Berman, but iceberg is “not completely devoid” of health benefits. In fact, it still contains about 10 percent of your daily vitamin A and 5 percent of your C, plus a little calcium and iron.

Romaine 

Per 100 grams:
17 calories
2 grams of fiber
24 milligrams of vitamin C
8,711 IUs of vitamin A
33 milligrams of calcium
This familiar leaf is a great source of vitamin A, says Berman, more than enough for a day. It's also a good source of vitamin C, with about 40 percent of your daily value.

 

Arugula 

Per 100 grams:
25 calories
2 grams of fiber
160 milligrams of calcium
15 milligrams of vitamin C
2,373 IUs of vitamin A
Arugula is similar to romaine, says Berman, with solid amounts of vitamin A and C. But it's also higher in calcium, with about 16 percent of your daily needs.

Collard Greens 

Per 100 grams:
30 calories
4 grams of fiber
145 milligrams of calcium
169 milligrams of potassium
35.3 milligrams vitamin C
6,668 IUs of vitamin A
Akin to spinach and kale, these dark leafy greens are a very good source of fiber and also a good source of potassium. But while collards are becoming ever-more-popular in salads, they may be more beneficial cooked, says Berman.

Spinach 

Per 100 grams:
23 calories
2 grams of fiber
99 milligrams of calcium
558 milligrams of potassium
28 milligrams of vitamin C
9,376 IUs of vitamin A
"Spinach and kale take it to another level, nutritionally,” says Berman, who jokes that Popeye was really onto something. Spinach is rich in iron, which helps to transport blood around the body to keep muscles working efficiently, she says.

First Place: Kale 

Per 100 grams:
50 calories
2 grams of fiber
135 milligrams of calcium
447 milligrams of potassium
120 milligrams of vitamin C
15,376 IUs of vitamin A
 "Kale has significantly more vitamin A and calcium,” says Berman, and is also really in right now, as much as it's possible for salad greens to be hip. A big kale salad has even more calcium than a glass of milk and can provide a change of flavor from other traditional salad greens, says Berman.

And What About The 'Fancy' Kinds? 

Dandelion greens, mache and mizuna are just a few of the other tasty and healthy options that are slowly but surely making their way into more salad bowls. Frisee, on the other hand, is more akin to an iceberg, says Berman.

How to Choose the Healthiest Salad Greens

Headed to a hoppin’ salad bar for lunch? Chances are there will be handfuls of fresh greens up for grabs, from romaine and iceberg to spinach and red leaf lettuce. But when it comes to choosing the healthiest salad base, which types of lettuce pack the biggest nutritional punch?

Seeing Green — The Need-to-Know

Photo by Jordan Shakeshaft

Sorry sandwich lovers, but a few shreds of lettuce on a bun won’t add up to the USDA’s daily recommended intake (2-3 cups for most adults). Instead, a big, healthy salad is one of the smartest ways to go green. Coming in at under 10 calories per cup, a big bowl of leaves can be a stellar source of vitamins A, C, K, and folate, among other essential nutrients.

But not all leafy greens will build a super-nutritious salad. In fact, America’s favorite lettuce, iceberg, ranks the lowest in nutritional value across the board (96 percent water content will do that!). Turbo-charged spinach, on the other hand, boasts nearly twice the recommended daily value of vitamin K, half the recommended value of vitamin A, and ample  amounts of calcium and iron. Clearly, Popeye was on to something.

Prefer a crunchier base? A cup of romaine is a tasty alternative, with a huge dose of vitamin A and a variety of other nutrients. Or, for a mild but textured bed, red leaf lettuce clocks in at just 4 calories per cup, with nearly half of the daily recommended dose of vitamins A and K. Arugula (technically a cruciferous vegetable like broccoli, kale, and cabbage) also packs a healthy dose of nutrients and phytochemicals, which may inhibit the development of certain cancers. And for the non-committal types, mixed greens (typically a mix of romaine, oak leaf lettuce, arugula, frisée, and radicchio) offer, well, a mixed bag of nutritional benefits, depending on the batch.

Salad for Salad — Your Guide to Greens

Which greens are the best bet? Check out the infographic below for the nutritional low-down.

Graphic by Caitlin Covington

Winning the Toss – Your Action Plan

Consider visiting the salad bar a free pass to join the dark side. Research shows that darker “loose” or “open leaf” lettuces (such as romaine, red leaf, and butterhead) contain more antioxidants and nutrients than the typically lighter-colored, more tightly-packed heads (such as iceberg). The reason? The darker leaves are able to absorb more light and, in turn, synthesize more vitamins. And while there’s no good way to pick and choose a store-bought salad leaf for leaf, at home, opting for the tops and outer leaves can guarantee a more nutritious base.

Ready to go darker (and healthier) still? While they’re not stocked at most salad bars, check the produce aisle for tougher roughage like Swiss chard and kale, which beat out even spinach in the antioxidant game. Be sure to give the leaves a good cold rinse before serving raw, boiled, or steamed, as the folds in these greens tend to accumulate dirt more easily than other veggies. Also keep in mind that high heat can strip veggies of their natural vitamin content. The final key to becoming a lean, green fighting machine? Dress for success. Hold off on the creamy dressings, croutons, bacon bits, and layers of shredded cheese. Instead, opt for a lighter vinaigrette and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds for added crunch and protein.

What’s in your go-to healthy salad? Will  you rethink your choice of lettuce? Share your thoughts (and go-green tips!) in the comments below.

The Healthiest Salad Greens

Think you mix a mean salad? While we applaud everyone for getting their greens, not all salads are created equal!

Comparing iceberg and romaine is a little easier than comparing, say, apples and oranges. In general, leafy greens are rich in fiber, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C, among other essential nutrients.

"No matter what type it is, it's going to offer you some nutrition," says Rachel Berman, R.D., director of nutrition at caloriecount.com. It's also worth mentioning that leafy greens don't contain some of the biggest nutrition offenders, namely fat and sodium. "You get a lot of bang for caloric buck," says Berman. "By pairing any meal with a side salad, you're helping yourself become satiated on fewer calories."

Keep in mind that no salad is complete without at least a little fat. A study from earlier this year found that the nutrients in greens and other veggies are best absorbed when eaten with a bit of (healthy) fat, like that in avocados, nuts or olive oil.

But creating the best base is important, too. That's why we asked Berman to share her thoughts on the best and worst picks for salad greens in the slideshow below. Although a blend of a few different greens is probably the healthiest bet of all, she says; that way you get the various benefits of a few different options.

Of course, the size of your salad will affect the amount of nutrients those greens deliver. The typical side salad is likely around two cups or 100 grams, says Berman, but, especially with the popularity of chopped salads, yours could pack up to four cups of leafy greens.