Lunch leaves a bad taste

Think all salads are created equal when it comes to nutrition? Think again!

A SALAD lunch from a High Street chain sounds virtuous, but is that always the case? Here, dietitian HELEN

BOND considers five of the best and five of the worst. Look at the pictures and see if you can work out which is which . . .

SOME OF THE WORST

A. McDonald’s crispy chicken and bacon salad, with balsamic dressing

276g, €6.50. Calories, 341; saturated fat, 2.9g; sugar, 6.2g; fibre, 1.9g; protein, 25g; salt, 1.6g. MIXED leaves, cucumber and tomatoes might sound healthy, but the chicken is fried, pushing up the total fat content. With only 47 fewer calories than a McChicken Sandwich, it also has more than a quarter of your salt limit and nearly a teaspoon of added sugar.

3/10 B. Tesco cheese layered salad

380g, €2.90. Calories, 594; saturated fat, 15.4g; sugar, 7.6g; fibre, 4.2g; protein, 19.8g; salt, 1.6g. PASTA salads are a source of resistant starch, which feeds good bacteria in the gut. But at nearly 600 calories, this one — containing carrot, cheddar, mayonnaise, cucumber, sweetcorn, lettuce and peppers — uses up all your lunch calorie allowance. It has as much saturated fat as one-and-a-half Big Mac burgers. 1/10

C. Subway Italian BMT salad with chilli sauce

359g, €4.10, Calories, 248; saturated fat, 6.6g; sugar, 4.1g; fibre, 3.9g; protein, 15g; salt, 3g. THIS provides two of your five-aday with lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers topped with meat. But it has 33% of your daily saturated fat and a lot of salt. 2/10 THE BEST PICKS

D. M&S avocado and egg nourish bowl

285g, €5.25. Calories, 333; saturated fat, 3.7g; sugar, 4.3g; fibre, 23.7g; protein, 18g; salt, 1.65g. MADE with wholegrains sorghum and quinoa, this also contains cabbage and kale and provides 80% of your fibre needs. As one of your five-a-day, the only downside is the salt. 9/10

E. Subway turkey salad with light mayo

345g, €3.70. Calories, 158; saturated fat, 0.8g; sugar, 6.7g; fibre, 3.6g; protein, 13.8g; salt, 1.2g. WITH lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, this provides two of your five-a-day as well as vitamins A, C, K and folic acid. It’s low in salt, calories and fat, but high in protein and immune-boosting selenium. 9.5/10

F. Boots Shapers Chicken Caesar salad

200g, €3.50. Calories, 162; saturated fat, 2.1g; sugar, 2.5g; fibre, 2.3g; protein, 15g; salt, 0.97g. LOW-FAT creme fraiche saves this Caesar salad from being a diet disaster. It is also 24% chicken, which will help fill you up. For a more rounded lunch, add fibre and carbs with a wholegrain pitta and a veg pot.

6.5/10