Salads are delicious, filling, fun to prepare and a great way to add satisfying flavor and versatility to a healthy eating plan. In fact, research has shown that salad eaters take in greater amounts of essential nutrients such as vitamins C and E and folic acid than those who don’t add salads to their meals.

The key to making a nutritious salad is to build it from the bottom up wisely by choosing healthy ingredients from the bottom.

Salad makings: choose wisely

Each salad topping has unique benefits, so it’s important to build a nutritious salad by using a variety of fruits, vegetables and nuts.

• Darker salad greens contain the antioxidant beta-carotene, which battles certain cancers, and folic acid, which helps tissues grow. Most salad greens are also very good sources of vitamin C, potassium and fiber.

• Tomatoes and cherries are loaded with potassium and lycopene, which help protect against heart disease and cancer.

• Carrots, yellow peppers and pineapple contain carotenoids, which reduce the risk of developing cancer.

• Pecans are loaded with more than 19 vitamins and minerals, packed with disease-fighting antioxidants and are a great source of protein. In addition, medical research suggests eating pecans may help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol.

• Blueberries and raisins are full of phytonutrients and antioxidants, which help protect from some cancers and infections. They also boost brain health and vision.

Dressing for (dietary) success

What many people don’t know is that salad dressings, like their vegetable, fruit and nut peers, provide important health benefits. Research has also shown the healthy oils in salad dressings help the body absorb key nutrients such as lycopene and alpha- and beta-carotene. Plus, the majority of salad dressings are free of trans fats.

Today’s easy and tasteful recipes bring flavor and nutrition to your salad bowl. For more information about salads and salad dressings, visit www.saladaday.org and www.dressings-sauces.org. For more about pecans, visit www.ilovepecans.org.