Bagged salads have become a popular option for health-conscious consumers. They're also an easy option for people on-the-go who otherwise might not get a lot of vegetables in their diet. And salad is a healthy option, right? Sometimes. But these bagged salads are still a packaged product, containing processed dressings and toppings, and certainly the plastic packaging itself raises some flags. I recently wondered if these bagged salads are actually safe or healthy at all? My curiosity led to a deep dive into the ingredient lists and available research.
Bagged Salad Nutrition and Preservatives
Here's what I learned. Nutritionally, some of these salads include dressings or toppings that are high in sodium, sugar, or fat. This can make them higher in calories than you might assume if you aren't reading the nutrition label.
If you regularly consume bagged salads, then you should really watch out for the following. Some dressings contain artificial preservatives that may cause allergic reactions, digestive troubles, or chronic disease. They might contain additives like titanium dioxide to improve the color or MSG (monosodium glutamate) to enhance the flavor. One bagged salad may not contribute a large amount, but the more exposure you have, the greater the effects may accumulate, and the bigger risk you may be taking on.
Now most manufacturers use what is known as modified atmosphere packaging, or MAP, to extend shelf life. This can cause the vegetables to lose some of their nutritional benefits compared to a fresh-prepared salad. They also typically use washing solutions with chemicals such as chlorine. And finally, these salads are packaged in plastic -- from which chemicals can leach into our food, sometimes including PFAS.
Cross contamination?
You've probably seen consumer alerts where these bagged salads have been recalled due to contamination with things like E.coli, Listeria, Salmonella, or Cyclospora. So be mindful of that potential hazard of foodborne illness, particularly if you have other health concerns that lower your immune response.
Additionally, we know that lettuce is a pesticide-intensive crop because tiny pests love to burrow inside the leaves. So there is always a concern of potential pesticide residues. Even when avoiding conventionally grown crops, we know organic labelling can be misleading. It used to mean no pesticides. Now it means only approved pesticides can be used, primarily "natural" or biologic ones, but there are specific exceptions for some synthetic ones like calcium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, hypochlorous acid, potassium hypochlorite, or sodium hypochlorite.
While the package says ready-to-eat, it's still a good idea to wash bagged salads or lettuce due to the potential contamination of microorganisms and/or pesticides.
A More Detailed Investigation: 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Classic Caesar Salad Kit
My original curiosity began when I saw someone eating a 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Classic Caesar Salad Kit. We know that most packaged foods hide secrets. Most specifically, I wondered if it contained MSG, but I was worried about other chemicals too. Here is the breakdown of that detailed investigation.
Overall, the ingredients that are listed aren't too scary. There are worse choices out there, but there's also better. The EWG gives it a 4 (1 being best, 10 being worst). They rate it that way for containing food additives, containing added sugar, and for moderate processing concerns.
I was surprised that I really didn't see any disguised ingredient names. I'm not seeing any MSG nicknames either, but there is some potential concern due to ingredients that that aren't really specified. "Organic Spices" is listed on the ingredient label twice. We don't know what this is. Sometimes this term is used to encompass something manufacturers don't want to list. Likewise "natural anchovy flavor" can be pure dried anchovy, or it can be a paste with a variety of ingredients, including more "spices". It's worth noting that this dressing has been recalled multiple times for "undeclared ingredients."
Some other ingredients concerns might be the palm oil, the powdered cellulose, the whey. Adding more mystery, there's no specificity as far as what kind of shortening they're using. And we don't know what kind of "microbial enzymes" are included (more below).
Specific Ingredients With Possible Concerns
Organic Romaine: Contamination concerns
Organic Expeller Pressed Soybean Oil: Inflammation, oxidation concerns
Cheese Culture: Generally safe but there can be cross contamination or the introduction of e choli, listeria, salmonella, etc.
Salt: Consuming too much sodium may increase blood pressure and contribute to cardiovascular disease.
Natural Anchovy Flavor: Potential for undeclared ingredients/spices
Organic Spices: Could be almost anything with only a few limits
Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate: Possible additives like sodium benzoate or sulfites
Xanthan Gum: Thickener, generally considered safe but can cause digestive issues (gas, bloat, laxative effect) and can affect gut bacteria overall.
Organic Acacia Gum: Can cause digestive issues and/or interfere with some medications.
Organic Expeller Pressed Sunflower Seed Oil: High Omega 6 -- can create inflammation if Omega 3 is low.
Organic Palm Oil: High saturated fat content, linked to elevated triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Possible connection to inflammation or insulin resistance. And well-known environmental concerns.
Shortening: Highly processed, saturated fats. We know excess saturated fat is associated with heart disease. Allergen concerns. We don't know if this is made from soy or palm or cottonseed, etc.
Organic Whey: May cause digestive issues. Potential heavy metal contamination. Heavy consumption can lead to liver/kidney worries. Though obviously there is just a very small amount here, repeated exposure can lead to accumulation.
Organic Cane Sugar: Added sugars, often hidden in dressings, can contribute to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and other health issues.
Organic Yeast: Contains a small amount of glutamate, whereas MSG would contain a highly concentrated amount.
Microbial Enzymes: Enzymes can be great or they can problematic. We have no idea which are being used here.
Powdered Cellulose: Some people are allergic. Varying quality because it's a byproduct made of wood pulp or cotton lint. Contamination concerns. Can't be broken down by the stomach. Can lead to gas, bloating, and/or stomach pain.
The safest option is to prep your own salads. It will be fresher, probably taste better, and likely will even cost less per serving. When you do reach for a convenient bagged salad, always read those ingredient labels. Know what you are consuming and any related risks in order to make the best informed decision for yourself and anyone you prepare food for. If you aren't familiar with an ingredient, look it up.
For personalized nutrition guidance, schedule a one-on-one consultation with Rose.
What to Remember
Bagged salad may be convenient, but it isn't always a healthy choice.
Lettuce is a high-pesticide food which also poses a risk for cross contamination of microorganisms.
Bagged salads can contain fats, sugar, sodium, and concerning additives like MSG.
The MAP packaging and deep chlorine rinse can make salads looks fresher than they are while destroying some of the nutrients.
References
The Impact of Failed Modified Atmosphere Packaging, SenOptica Technologies
How Clean Is Bagged Salad? Consumer Reports
You May Want To Think Twice Before You Eat Bagged Lettuce, HuffPost