Healthy fat question

mlfen0778

I am starting to have have salads for lunch everyday. Only problem is, even with chicken calories are very low. Would adding both feta cheese and plain Ole olive oil be too much healthy fat?

cmsienk

No... you could also add avocado slices to your salad.

mlfen0778

Client. What about healthy fats at dinner , like a salmon. I know healthy fats are good. Hence their called healthy. I just don't wanna over do it each portion, and overall daily.. Sadly this app doesn't account for healthy fats. Wish they would change that. Also account for muscle building lol

Lietchi

mlfen0778 wrote: »

Client. What about healthy fats at dinner , like a salmon. I know healthy fats are good. Hence their called healthy. I just don't wanna over do it each portion, and overall daily.. Sadly this app doesn't account for healthy fats. Wish they would change that. Also account for muscle building lol

There is no such thing as 'too much healthy fat', except if it means you're not getting enough other nutrients (protein, etc) within your calorie goal, or if it makes you go over your calorie goal.

I'm not sure what you mean by MFP not accounting for healthy fats. Are you talking about the goal being zero? That's because there aren't any official guidelines regarding a minimum intake. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't consume any, it means any amount of healthy fat is good (unlike saturated fats, where the goal is a maximum goal - a number to stay below).

To add calories to your salads, any vegetable oil can work. Avocado has also been mentioned. Nuts are a good option too. All are healthy fats. Cheeses will also add calories, but have mostly saturated fats (something to be more mindful of).
You can also add carbs to your salad: some pasta for example, chickpeas, lentils, or a slice of bread on the side.

AnnPT77

To Lietchi's excellent comment, and nice list of salad adds, I'd suggest seeds as another option: Shelled sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pepitas, etc.

Check specific cheeses (both milk source like goat vs cow vs sheep, and style like soft cheeses (chevre, ricotta, farmer) vs. harder cheeses (cheddar, parmesan, etc.), too - there's surprising variety in the type and amount of fats, when compared on a per-calorie or per-protein-gram basis. That's not even getting into specifically designated lowfat cheeses - lowfat cottage cheese is good in salad, if you like cottage cheese, for example. I'm not a fan of any nonfat cottage cheese I've tried, but many people like them so I think that's just me.

Afterthought: Fruit is nice in salads, too, fresh or dried. Watch the dried ones quantity-wise, as they can be calorie dense.

wilson10102018

Mayonnaise is a gift to both chicken and salad greens in general. It has soybean oil as its principal calorific ingredient and a small amount of egg yolk. A tbsp has about 90 calories most all from fats.

Seeds are high in calorie fat content but notoriously hard on the digestive track. Almost everyone over 50 has some degree of diverticulosis which militates against seeds. Many people tolerate them ok, but in moderation.

For my part, I eat so much salmon it hardly matters but I usually add avocado to salad.

littlegreenparrot1

I like roast veg in my salads, and roast them in olive oil. Then chuck some olives in for good measure.

janetennet

What are you putting in your salads firstly?
I make a basic salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, mixed peppers) and then add in my protein (chicken or tuna, or a fish fillet, mince meat, and feta or cheddar cheese). I also always add either salad dressing or mayonnaise. I find a 300/400 calories salad (including protein) keeps me sufficiently full and fits nicely into my target calories.

Don't forget you can also add the following to any salad to help bulk the salad up or add additional calories:
Seeds
Olives
nuts
Croutons
quinoa / other grains
pasta
rice
different veggies (cabbage, carrot, courgette, roasted butternut / pumpkin etc.)
different fruits (apple, apricots, cranberries [dried], etc.)

Dressings / sauces: salad dressings, creamy dressings, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mayonnaise, hummus, pesto, caramelized onions, any dips that you get / like, etc.