6 Steps to Building a Flavorful Low-Cholesterol Salad

Salad for lunch seems like the perfect cholesterol-friendly option, but adding the wrong toppings and dressings to your greens can cancel the health benefits. While they may appear healthy, many restaurant and takeout salads are filled with unhealthy fats, fried foods, fatty meats, and other cholesterol bombs, so it's crucial to be selective when ordering from a menu.

It's easier to avoid saturated and trans fats, add high-fiber toppings, and choose cholesterol-lowering ingredients at home, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a meal out. Use these guidelines to build a nourishing, flavorful, cholesterol-friendly salad, whether you're whipping up a meal in your kitchen or dining out.

vegetables on cutting board with bowl of salad
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Try Different Greens 

Every variety of greens is going to be beneficial for your cholesterol and overall health, so when it comes to picking your salad base, it's a matter of personal preference.

  • Milder flavor greens: Try romaine, green leaf, or iceberg lettuce.
  • Spicier greens: If you like a little more of a bite, try fresh spinach leaves, wild arugula, radicchio, or spring leaves.
  • Mixed greens: Use a combination of both types of greens. The more variety in your choice of greens, the more nutrient diversity you will get from them, which is always a good thing. 

Load up on Veggies

Greens are just the tip of the iceberg when assembling a low-cholesterol salad. Instead of loading up on unhealthy toppings such as bacon bits and cheeses, fill up on fiber by including a range of vegetables with different flavors and textures.

Salad-friendly vegetables include:

  • Chopped celery
  • Sliced cucumbers
  • Shredded carrots
  • Radishes
  • Raw cabbage
  • Cubed avocado
  • Cooked or raw broccoli florets
  • Cooked or raw Brussels sprouts

Vegetables can bulk up your salad and keep you feeling full longer, so you're less likely to reach for unhealthy snacks an hour after eating. 

The best vegetables to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol contain soluble fiber, such as Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, peas, and asparagus. Other sources of soluble fiber that you can easily add to a salad include beans, cooked barley, apples, pears, strawberries, and oranges.

Add Fruit for More Flavor 

Fruit is a great secret weapon to liven up a boring salad, and particular pairings go exceptionally well together. For instance, combine:

  • Arugula and raspberries
  • Cucumber and watermelon (and mint, if you're feeling fancy)
  • Spinach and pears

These combinations lend a sweet taste to your salad, often serving as a refreshing contrast to the other more savory or bitter ingredients. Fresh lemon and lime are also great for salad dressings and they pack a flavor punch (more on low-cholesterol salad dressing below). 

Throw in Some Nuts and Seeds 

Instead of using traditional croutons which are often full of refined carbohydrates and sodium, add a handful of heart-healthy nuts and seeds to your salad for some satisfying crunch. Nuts such as almonds and walnuts are composed of unsaturated fat, which can keep your cholesterol levels in check.

A 2018 review found people who added walnuts (rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids) to their diets, experienced a significant drop in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations. Seeds are also a great addition because they contain unsaturated fats and add texture. Try adding one or more of these seeds to your salad:

  • Sunflower seeds
  • Flaxseeds
  • Sesame seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds 
  • Hemp seeds

Pass on the Bacon 

If you would like to include protein in your salad, try leaner cuts of meat. Fatty and fried cuts of meat should be avoided since these tend to be high in saturated fat, which increases cholesterol levels. Lean protein choices include:

  • Preservative-free turkey
  • Baked or grilled chicken
  • Canned tuna
  • Canned sardines
  • Wild-caught salmon
  • Low-fat cottage cheese

Although salmon and sardines are higher in fat, these types of fatty fish contain unsaturated fats and have been shown to lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in studies. You could also try plant-based protein sources, such as beans, tofu, and tempeh.

Skip Store-Bought, Full-Fat Salad Dressing 

Avoid creamy pre-made dressings since these are often high in saturated fat. Look for low-fat alternatives to your favorite store-bought salad dressings. Options for a restaurant salad include:

  • Ask for plain olive oil and vinegar.
  • Request a vinaigrette dressing on the side.
  • Make your own low-cholesterol salad dressing at home and bring it with you when eating out

To make your own low-cholesterol salad dressing:

  • Use olive oil as the base.
  • Add a flavorful vinegar, such as balsamic, rice, white wine, or apple cider vinegar.
  • Mix in spices such as freshly grated garlic or spice blends.

Alternatively, you could make a fruit-based salad dressing using:

  • Olive oil
  • Raspberries or strawberries
  • Lemon, lime, or orange juice
  • A pinch of salt
  • Fresh herbs, such as mint, parsley, or cilantro

For another simple dressing mix together lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Don't douse the salad with dressing; rather, use just enough to lightly coat the leaves. 

Summary

Creating nourishing low-cholesterol salads is possible when you steer clear of unhealthy fats, fried foods, fatty meats, and creamy store-bought dressings. Instead combine your choice of greens with lean protein, lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts or seeds, and oil-based salad dressing to create a meal that won't raise your cholesterol.

5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. MedlinePlus. How to lower cholesterol with diet.

  2. American Heart Association. Cooking to lower cholesterol.

  3. National Library of Medicine. Fiber content of selected vegetables.

  4. Harvard Medical School. 11 foods that lower cholesterol.

  5. Guasch-Ferré M, Li J, Hu FB, Salas-Salvadó J, Tobias DK. Effects of walnut consumption on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors: an updated meta-analysis and systematic review of controlled trialsAm J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(1):174–187. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy091

By Jennifer Moll, PharmD
Jennifer Moll, MS, PharmD, is a pharmacist actively involved in educating patients about the importance of heart disease prevention.