1. The Lettuce
The Sabatoge: Iceberg lettuce may have a nice crunch, but it falls short when compared to darker greens like 
spinach, arugula, romaine lettuce, kale, and basil leaves. Mild in flavor, iceberg lettuce was originally intended to be used in salad as a cooling counterbalance to other ingredients.
The Fix: By replacing an iceberg lettuce with fresh romaine, you will take in nearly ten times more vitamin C (protects against immune system deficiencies, increases overall health), vitamin K (helps blood coagulation), beta-carotene (strengthens eyes, skin, and immunity), lutein and zeaxanthin (both lower risk of cataracts and macular degeneration) while still consuming a measly 8 calories per cup.
2. The Cheese
The Sabotage: Cheese adds a zing to your salad, but it also adds a boatload of calories-a one-forth cup of shredded cheese can add over 100 calories. While cheese is an excellent source of calcium and protein, too much can lead to high cholesterol and blocked arteries.
The Fix: Use less cheese! Or, for a delicious alternative, sprinkle some feta cheese over your salad — because of its more pronounced flavor, you’ll use less while lowering your cholesterol and your caloric intake. If you’re still craving some cheddar, try grating cheese over your salad instead of using prepackaged, chunky pieces. The thinner slices allow you to use less while still maintaining cheesy flavor with every bite.
3. The Meat
The Sabotage: A baked or grilled chicken breast can transform a salad into a meal; a deep-fried chicken strip cannot. Crispy chicken, while delicious, adds unhealthy fats and extra calories. Likewise, bacon bits won’t be winning any health prizes anytime soon — in fact, nutritionists consider bacon a fat as opposed to a meat. Furthermore, these high-calorie crunchlets also contain sodium nitrate (a preservative that increases the risk of cancer) and hydrogenated oils.
The Fix: If you’re looking for protein, stick with meats that have been baked or grilled. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, why not experiment with a little fresh turkey or salmon? And to get the savory crunch of bacon bits without all the preservatives, break out some seasonings and try adding walnuts (reduces cholesterol and improves the elasticity of your arteries), pecans (clears your arteries), or Brazil nuts (may help prevent breast cancer).
4. The Croutons
The Sabotage: Croutons add a well-seasoned crunch to any salad — unfortunately, most of these solid, white, processed bread chunks are too high in calories, salt, carbohydrates, and fat to be a healthy addition to anyone’s diet. Croutons will spike your blood sugar and provide no nutrition in regards to protein, fiber, vitamins, or minerals.
The Fix: Let’s face it — while you could use nuts as a substitute, nothing beats the crunch of a good crouton. Ditch the prepackaged, nutritional disaster and make your own croutons at home using whole grain bread, spices, garlic, and olive oil.
5. The Dressing
The Sabotage: Store-bought dressings contain hydrogenated oils, trans fats, excess sugars, preservatives, artificial flavorings, and same fat used in Crisco and mayonnaise (read: lard)…yuck. Unfortunately, your fat-free options aren’t much better-when fat comes out, sugar goes in. Plus, many vegetables are fat soluble; a study at Ohio State University proved that a higher fat salad dressing resulted in an increased uptake of the antioxidants mentioned above, lutein and beta-carotene.
The Fix: Salad dressing is a catch-22. When you don’t consume the fat, you lose nutrients, but when you consume the fat, you get the nutrients. Try a homemade dressing using olive oil, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, or salsa as a salad topper. If you still need the kick of your favorite dressing, try dipping each bite into the dressing instead of pouring it all over your salad. For an even better alternative, try coating your tongs with dressing before tossing the salad-every bite will have a light, zesty flavor.
