Healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated. For me, it was incredibly complicated at first, I won’t lie. When I started, I thought the ingredients I was using were super healthy, only to catch myself adding items to my 'healthy' meals that had no place being there (like store-bought Caesar dressing packed with sugar).

Half of our health lies in the knowledge we possess. That’s why education is so important. But where do we start? Instead of drastically cutting out everything we think is unhealthy in our diet, maybe it's better to build one healthy habit that will significantly change our relationship with food. Then, we can keep building one habit after another. I believe that one of the biggest healthy habits that significantly improves the quality of our diet and our energy, is introducing a salad before a meal. It sounds like a strange concept and like something that isn’t all that tasty. But it’s neither strange nor tasteless. Let’s dive into the science and see what it has to say.

THINK ABOUT THIS: Some alternative health practices, like Ayurveda (an Indian alternative medicine system) and Traditional Chinese Medicine, recommend avoiding raw foods after 4 PM. This means it’s better to eat your salad before lunch instead of dinner, as raw foods might be harder to digest in the evening when your digestion slows down. However, this idea isn't widely backed by mainstream science. Everyone's body is different, so it's important to listen to what yours is telling you.

What would be the benefits of introducing a portion of salad before a meal?

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What would be the benefits of introducing a portion of salad before a meal? 〰️

1. Regulation of Glucose Spikes

French biochemist Jessie Inchauspé introduced me to the concept of glucose spikes. As someone diagnosed with PCOS and mild insulin resistance, I started exploring nutrition as a way to restore balance in my body (recommended read: Glucose Revolution!).

First, what is glucose?

Glucose consists of small molecules that are one of the two possible building blocks of sugar (the other being fructose).

DID YOU KNOW?

Sugars, like the Kit Kat, or the crystal-white sugar we can buy at the supermarket, are chemically known as sucrose (one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose, see the image below). This type of sugar is just one of many that exist. In scientific terms, we refer to the entire family of sugars as carbohydrates. They come in various forms—simple sugars like glucose and fructose, as well as complex sugars, which can take on many shapes and consist of numerous simple sugar molecules. So, glucose and fructose would be like individual puzzle pieces, two different forms, while complex sugars would be a complete puzzle—some easier to assemble with just a few pieces, and others incredibly complicated.

There was a belief that glucose only needed to be monitored if a person had diabetes or a pre-diabetic condition. However, it turns out that large glucose spikes (this term refers to the rise of glucose in blood after eating a certain meal, usually represented in a graph—see the image below) are responsible for making us feel bad, lacking energy, and of course, if there’s a problem with sugar in the body (including insulin resistance), then this spike becomes even more problematic.

Why is that?

Because when glucose enters the blood, it is actually transported to the mitochondria, which convert it into ATP (with a help of NADH) and use it as energy (learn more). Mitochondria love glucose and need it, but if it enters the blood too quickly (characterized by a strong glucose spike that exceeds our capacity to handle), then it causes stress in the mitochondria, leading to two things:

Mitochondria can’t efficiently produce energy and create free radicals.
It results in glycation and inflammation—accelerated aging of cells, browning our cells and damaging them. Glycation is a normal part of life that we can't avoid, but we can slow it down.

We end up tired, lacking energy, aging prematurely, and becoming susceptible to inflammation, leading to various diseases such as heart disease, strokes, or diabetes. Fructose impacts these two processes even more than glucose (specifically, it affects glycation 10 times more than glucose, reference). That’s why sweet foods are even more dangerous for us.

So, it’s crucial to regulate this excessive spike in glucose in our bodies. It has been shown that the order in which we consume foods during a meal is extremely important and affects glucose spikes. One example is outlined below (check out the Instagram page GlucoseGoddess for more such graphics). When veggies are consumed before the rest of the meal, it reduces the excessive glucose spike afterward. Magic. We will literally live longer and healthier if we eat salad before a meal.

PRO-TIP: If we add a tablespoon of vinegar to our salad, we’ll further reduce the spike.

2. It regulates your microbiome

Salads help regulate our microbiome. Gut health has gained a lot of attention recently, and we often hear that even our skin’s appearance can depend on the state of our gut. People who take antibiotics, for instance, have a higher chance of developing mental health issues like anxiety and depression, all due to a disrupted microbiome (reference). Wow. (Always take an antibiotic with probiotics!)

This is just one reason why it’s incredibly important to care for our microbiome (we actually have about 1 kg of beneficial bacteria in our body—that's the weight of a 1L bottle of water, so just grab one and see how much that is).

Now, how exactly do salads regulate our microbiome? Salads are rich in fiber (which, by the way, gets destroyed when you make a smoothie—eating the whole fruit is not the same as blitzing it in a NutriBullet). This fiber binds toxins and, since it doesn’t get digested like other macronutrients, can escort these toxins out of our system. (reference)

Salads are also rich in polyphenols, which gut microbes can use as prebiotics, supporting gut health. Fiber additionally feeds beneficial bacteria, which then produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that promote gut health and reduce inflammation. (reference)

3. Better Nutrients (and tips on the best salads)

It’s almost obvious: we don’t need scientific studies to tell us that a salad is healthier than a burger. Eating a salad before a burger doesn’t just provide a healthy dose of nutrients; it can also curb our appetite for less healthy food that might come next (if a burger’s on the menu). There’s even a cool study showing that adding a veggie starter can increase vegetable intake by 23%. (reference)

It’s essential to listen to our preferences here, too. Yes, try to include veggie starter (or at least give it a shot), but don’t force yourself to eat something you absolutely dislike. Why? Because one of the best greens is definitely arugula, yet not everyone loves its taste. So pick what you like—it’s better to eat any greens than none. Another effective option is to mix different greens, like arugula and baby spinach, for a nutrient-packed combo.

PRO TIP: How much salad do we need?

It takes two cups of greens to make the nutritional equivalent of one cup of vegetables. The USDA recommends two cups of vegetables daily for women ages 51+ and 2.5 cups for men of the same age. That means 4 cups of greens for women and 5 cups for men. If that sounds like too much, combine other vegetables with the salad to reduce the amount of greens needed.

reference: Harvard Health Publishing

The healthiest options are arugula (rich in vitamin A, which is essential for our skin), kale, romaine (as used in Caesar salads), spinach, Swiss chard, and watercress.

Key nutrients/health benefits of salad consumption:

Stronger bones - kale is high in calcium and vitamin K; collard greens are one of the best plant-based sources of calcium and are also high in vitamin K.
Improved vision - romaine and spinach are rich in vitamin A.
Heart protection - high-fiber foods help protect the heart.
Youthful brain - spinach contains lutein, folate, beta-carotene, and vitamin K, all of which support cognitive function and slow brain aging. Kale also has antioxidants like flavonoids and vitamin K, protecting brain cells from oxidative stress.

PRO-Tip: Use extra virgin (!) olive oil and vinegar as a dressing (extra benefits—a win-win situation!):

Extra-virgin olive oil: Contains polyphenols (with anti-inflammatory properties) and vitamin E, one of the strongest antioxidants (some people even take a shot of olive oil on an empty stomach for its impressive benefits!). It’s crucial to choose high-quality extra virgin olive oil, as many supermarket varieties are mixed with other oils. High in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, extra-virgin olive oil can help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing good cholesterol (HDL), reducing heart disease risk. Olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, known for its health benefits. reference
Vinegar: I already mentioned this, but it’s worth repeating. Glucose Goddess’s tip is to drink vinegar before a meal for its strong antioxidant properties and metabolic benefits. Vinegar helps create an alkaline environment in the body, slowing how quickly starch turns into glucose and helping muscles absorb glucose from the blood. This reduces blood sugar spikes post-meal. Other benefits include weight loss, steadier glucose levels, reduced visceral fat, and lower triglycerides. Additionally, studies show vinegar may help reverse PCOS symptoms. Acetic acid in vinegar can reduce insulin release by about 20% in one study, promoting fat-burning mode. reference

4. Weight Management

Adding a salad before a meal can lead to around an 11% reduction in calorie intake, which is about 57 calories on average. This suggests that starting with a salad helps reduce overall calorie consumption, and we’ll eat less of the main course—fantastic when considering the nutritional value of salads. There’s no need to repeat all the explanations above, but it’s worth noting how interconnected these benefits are. Improved blood sugar control also helps reduce cravings and prevents overeating. reference

PRO-TIP: If you’re not a fan of salad, consuming any type of vegetable before a meal (even cooked) will offer similar benefits. For example, try making a vegetable soup.

Tips for making salads:

Use sprouts to boost nutrition intake. Common types include:

Bean and pea sprouts: mung bean, kidney bean, black bean, lentil, and snow pea sprouts.
Vegetable sprouts: broccoli, alfalfa, mustard green, and red clover sprouts.
Nut and seed sprouts: pumpkin seed, sesame seed, and sunflower seed sprouts.
Sprouted grains: wheatgrass and quinoa sprouts.

Opt for sugar-free dressing (honey is still sugar!). Stick with olive oil and vinaigrette.
Add healthy fats to your salad: avocado, cheese, and seeds.
The healthiest salad option: arugula.
Avoid raw fruits in salads due to the sugar they add. Learn more here.

If you try adding salad before meals, I’d love to hear your observations over a few days or weeks—any changes in energy, etc. Feel free to contact me:

The Benefits of Eating Salad Before a Meal