Women ate salad for every meal but had high blood lipids? Nutritionist reveals 5 hidden traps

A woman who ate salad every day thinking it was healthy ended up with high blood lipids. A nutritionist analyzed the case and broke down 5 hidden traps in salads, along with 3 types of foods to pair for anti-inflammatory benefits.

Nutritionist Liu Yan-yi posted on her Facebook page about a woman who wanted to maintain her figure and believed a light diet would be healthier. She drank only a glass of energy soup for breakfast, ate a box of plain lettuce salad with almost no dressing and no meat for lunch, and if busy in the evening, had only a little fruit or yogurt. This seemingly very healthy meal plan resulted in no weight loss, and her blood lipid levels showed "red flags" (above normal range) on her health check. Liao points out that many people think they are eating very healthily but don't realize they are only doing half the job correctly. This is because they easily equate bland, low-oil, low-calorie diets with anti-inflammatory or healthy eating. However, what the body truly needs is moderate and balanced nutrition. When protein intake is insufficient, fat is too low, or even when total food intake is too low for a long time, the body can enter a stress state, leading to decreased repair capacity, sensitive gut, and difficulty regulating inflammatory responses.

Liu then told the woman, "You only got half of it right. With a few adjustments, it will be much better!" The woman was taken aback and replied that she had heard the diet needed to be "clean," so she followed this pattern. Liu emphasizes that eating salad alone seems healthy, but the key lies in how you pair ingredients. Otherwise, it only leads to nutritional imbalance. She states that there is absolutely nothing wrong with liking salad, but you must pay attention to the following 5 key points:

5 Hidden Traps in Salads

1. Ensure Adequate Protein Intake: Relying solely on lettuce and fruit while lacking protein is absolutely not acceptable. Protein is essential raw material for repairing body tissues and is key to regulating the immune system. Add eggs, chicken breast, or fish to your salad as high-quality protein sources.
2. Supplement with Moderate Healthy Fats: Long-term avoidance of oil or eating only low-fat foods leads to a deficiency in anti-inflammatory fats like Omega-3, weakening the body's regulatory capacity. Add a few nuts, flaxseed oil, or olive oil to your salad to increase healthy fat intake and obtain antioxidants.
3. Try Warm Salads: Raw, uncooked vegetables have not had their lignins softened, which can increase the digestive burden for those with weak digestive systems, easily causing bloating. Occasionally try warm salads: lightly blanch some vegetables, then mix with healthy fats and protein for a nutritionally balanced meal.
4. Avoid High-Calorie, High-Sugar Dressing Traps: Dressings like Thousand Island, Caesar, and honey mustard contain surprisingly high amounts of sugar and oil. Consuming them frequently can easily lead to weight gain and may increase the body's inflammatory burden.
5. Avoid Long-Term Calorie Deficiency: Eating too little is also a form of stress on the body. For example, it can raise cortisol levels, making it easier for inflammatory responses to be triggered.

She reminds that lettuce salad doesn't need to be eaten every day or at every meal. Three to five times per week is sufficient. Eating bland food does not automatically equal an anti-inflammatory diet. The prerequisite for true anti-inflammatory effects is eating a balanced diet.

What Are Ideal and High Cholesterol Levels?

According to the Hong Kong Department of Health, total cholesterol is the sum of cholesterol in the blood, primarily composed of "low-density lipoprotein cholesterol" (LDL, "bad" cholesterol) and "high-density lipoprotein cholesterol" (HDL, "good" cholesterol).

Cholesterol is a type of fat and a major component of cell walls, bile, and various hormones. However, if cholesterol levels in the body are too high, blood vessels may become narrowed or even blocked, leading to serious consequences such as stroke and heart disease.

• LDL (Bad Cholesterol): Accelerates fat accumulation in blood vessels, increasing the risk of coronary heart disease.
• HDL (Good Cholesterol): Helps prevent blood vessel blockage and rupture, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Ideal Cholesterol Levels (for reference):

• Total Cholesterol: Below 5.2 mmol/L
• LDL (Bad Cholesterol): Below 3.4 mmol/L (below 2.6 mmol/L is even more ideal)
• HDL (Good Cholesterol): Above 1.0 mmol/L (1.6 mmol/L or above is even more ideal)