Salad Bar Food Is The Worst Thing To Put In Your Cart At Whole Foods, According To Health Experts

While you may think you’re making the healthy choice by making yourself a meal from the fresh salad bar at Whole Foods, but health experts disagree. Registered dietitians Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Shames both agree that the Whole Foods salad bar isn’t as good for you as it may seem. Keep reading for more information.

Dietitians and other health experts have long since warned customers that the salad bar isn’t as healthy as you may think it is. Take a look at some of the reasoning behind their warning:

Leafy greens, the main ingredient in a salad and always present at a salad bar, need to be stored in the refrigerator to decrease bacterial growth. The survival and growth of E. coli decreases at lower temperatures, so unless the lettuce at your salad bar is stored over ice (and that ice is replaced often!) it could be a breeding ground for bacteria.

The same goes for protein-based ingredients. Things like cubed chicken contain protein, are moist, and have a neutral or slightly acidic pH, which make great growing conditions for bacteria. You’re much better off buying the ingredients and storing them in the fridge at home.