Wendy's new salads - are they healthy?

Have seen some pretty advertisements lately for the new salads at Wendy's - have you tried them yet?

• Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
• Baja Chicken Salad
• Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad
• BLT Cobb Salad

Yum, they sound healthy. So, are they? Let's find out...

First of all, before you partake a new item, esp. at a "fast food" restaurant, always check the company's website under "nutritional information". It only takes a minute and this will give you the information you need to make an informed choice.

Here's a brief summary:

• Apple Pecan Chicken Salad - 580 calories, 27g fat, 50g carb, 38g protein, 1590mg sodium
• Baja Chicken Salad - 740 calories, 47g fat, 49g carb, 35g protein, 1990 sodium
• Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad - 740 calories, 49g fat, 41g carb, 37g protein, 1860 sodium
• BLT Cobb Salad - 670 calories, 47g fat, 50g carb, 47g protein, 1920 sodium

Okay, red flags...

1. High calorie item. If you are consuming 1500-2000 calories a day, this is 1/2 of your day. Too high in calories, esp. for a salad. 
2. Check sodium. Normal intake for the day is 1500-2000mg. For the day. All four of these salads exceed 1500. That is not good. Too much sodium in your system causes bloating, water retention, and negatively affects your hormones and metabolism [your ability to burn fat], as well as other physical problems. 
3. Don't be overwhelmed by the details. It's important to know the other breakdowns, carbs, proteins, fats, but if you don't know what to look for - just look for the obvious - calories and sodium. 

So, what's your option? If you HAVE to go to a Wendy's, what can you eat? Well, there are many other options. The key is to look at the nutritional information yourself and find something that you like. For example, the garden salad has 220 calories, 14g fat, 19g carb, 4g protein, 440mg sodium. The Grilled Chicken Wrap has 260 calories, 10g fat, 25g carb, 20g protein, 750mg sodium. Not the best on the sodium, but a better choice than the salads listed above.

Don't be intimidated by eating at a fast food restaurant! It is possible to eat healthy - but YOU have to control what you eat. Don't be fooled by pretty pictures and hefty marketing and advertising. You do the research and know what is going into your body. It's worth the time and effort, so will you?