You show up at your favorite lunch spot and bypass the greasy grilled sandwiches and heavy pastas in favour of a salad. If nutritionists handed out gold stars, you’d certainly have earned one. right? Not so fast: Depending on your selections, you’ve either conjured up a wholesome powerhouse or a less-than-ideal meal that rivals those other options in calories and fat.

   Torey Armul, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, guides us on the art of crafting a healthful, tasty salad. Here’s what to keep in mind the next time you’re in line:

1. Go (dark) green: “When it comes to salad greens, the darker the leaf, the higher the nutrient content,” says Armul. Emeraldhued leaves have the most vitamins and minerals, so it makes sense to choose ones like spinach, kale or collards instead of, say, iceberg lettuce.

2. Don’t fear fat: Veggies....