When trying to eat healthy, a Cobb salad seems like a fantastic choice. After all, the main ingredients in salad are typically fresh vegetables which are packed with nutrients. However, not all salads are created equal, and some may actually detract from your health goals.
So before you reach for that Cobb salad, there's something you should know. Cobb salads are particularly high in calories. The exact number varies depending on whether you prepare a homemade salad or buy one.
For reference, a homemade Cobb salad with dressing is an estimated 688 calories, while a Chick-fil-A Cobb salad with grilled chicken is 830 calories. At the end of the day, this healthy food has more calories than a Big Mac . Of course, calories are necessary! They provide us with energy to keep us going throughout the day.
However, each individual's caloric requirements differ and depend on several factors including health, lifestyle, age, and gender. However, some people may have reasons for cutting back, such as losing excess weight per doctor's orders. If this is the case, it's important to understand what you're consuming and how Cobb salads factor into your overall health goals.
Why the calories in a Cobb salad matter First off, calories are not inherently bad. We need them to not only survive but thrive. However, too much of a good thing can become a negative.
Consuming more calories than you burn leads to weight gain and potentially obesity. According to Frontiers in Endocrinology , obesity is .