The healthiest salad to order at 7 major chains - as expert warns some have more fat than a Big Mac

If you're looking for a healthy lunchtime choice, it's likely that you'll go straight to your local salad bar.

However, nutrition experts have warned that, just because a meal is lettuce-heavy, it doesn't mean it's any better for you than a junk food lunch.

For example, in 2016, McDonalds added a kale salad, a food known for its health benefits, to their menu. 

But upon closer inspection, the item contained 25 more grams of fat more than a Big Mac, the Daily Mail previously reported. 

Now, a New York-based dietitian has analyzed some of the most popular salad choices in your favorite chains to decipher a shortlist of the healthiest. 

A healthy choice is one that includes multiple food groups to keep it satiating and nutrient dense Toby Amidor, a registered dietitian. Below are 7 of the best...

 Chopt: Mexican Caesar with Grilled Chicken

This salad contains romaine lettuce, jalapenos, cotija cheese, tortilla chips and a cilantro Mexican Caesar dressing. 

Despite containing a full food pyramid of ingredients - including carbs and protein on top of the vegetables - this salad only has 385 calories. It also has 19 grams of fat, seven of which are saturated, 31 grams of protein and eight grams of bowel-boosting fiber. 

For a standard 2,000 calorie diet, nutritionists recommend you eat no more than 67 grams of fat per day, according to the NIH . Which means this salad would comprise only 28 percent of your daily allotted amount of fat and 19 percent of your allotted calories.

The amount of protein should comprise between 10 and 35 percent of your daily calories, according to Mayo Clinic. In a standard 2000 calorie diet, you'd get anywhere from 50 to 175 grams of protein in a day - depending on exercise.

So this salad, though plant based, could help you reach that lower limit.  

Protein and fiber are key ingredients that can keep you feeling full. Ms Amidor said: 'This salad will keep you feeling full and satisfied long past lunchtime.'

Just Salad: Tokyo Supergreens with Chicken

This salad is rich in nutrition, packed with 'supergreens' like edamame, broccoli, almonds, carrots and  avocado, Ms Amidor said. 

All those  ingredients could help you get your daily serving of vitamins in while only consuming 390 calories. The salad also contains 12 grams of fiber and 26 grams of protein. 

Fiber is a key component of fresh produce and is popularly known to support the digestive system. It's also been shown to be helpful in preventing bowel cancer.

One food often associated with fiber, prunes, contains less than a gram of fiber per serving, according to the USDA. 

 So eating this salad could be like eating seven prunes.

 Sweetgreen: Hummus Crunch

There are only 380 calories in this salad, which contains a whole rainbow of veggies- from tomatoes to cucumbers to chickpeas. It also has hummus, a pesto vinaigrette and za'atar bread crumbs.

It also contains 13 grams of protein, 21 grams of fat and seven grams of fiber.  

If you're watching your sodium, Ms. Amidor wrote that you can forego the bread crumbs. 

Otherwise, the 'calories and saturated fat content are very reasonable, while the fiber is a nice seven grams, which will help keep you full,' Ms. Amidor wrote. 

 Tender Greens: Grilled Chicken Cobb

 Though this option ranks a bit higher in calories than some of the other's on the list, with 663 total, it's a good source of protein for a meal, Ms. Amidor wrote. 

It has 28 grams of protein, more than half of the amount found in a whole chicken breast. There are also six grams of fiber and 55 grams of fat in the dish. 

The fat, Ms Amidor said, comes from the addition of bacon and blue cheese, which you can cut back on if you want. 

Compared to other menu items, this is the best option. Other salads, like the Harvest Chicken, will run you as many as 1019 calories, almost double the amount of the cobb. 

'It's your best salad choice at Tender Greens, and the protein is perfect for a meal,' Ms. Amidor said. 

Saladworks: Sophie's Salad

 This salad is a good example of hitting all the food groups- since it contains, vegetables, fruit, protein, healthy fat and dairy, Amidor said. 

It features spring mix, apples, blue cheese, pecans and grilled chicken. That makes up 430 calories, 18 grams of fat, 20 grams of protein and five grams of fiber. 

Compared to other options on the menu, like the Hot Honey Chicken salad, this option is relatively low in calories, while still being high in a variety of nutrients. The Hot Honey Chicken salad contains 670 calories, 48 grams of fat and only 4 grams of fiber. 

Eating the Hot Honey Chicken salad would put you near the daily recommended 67 grams of fat.  

Fresh&Co: Shrimp Taco Salad

 This salad isn't just skinny, representing only 165 calories, it's also gluten-free, which makes it friendly for those with allergies.

 It also has 2.7 grams of fat, 22 grams of protein and about three grams of fiber. 

This item contains less than half the calories found in the chain's other options- like the Gaucho salad, which has 391 calories per serving and only 12 grams of protein.  

Panera Bread: Fuji Apple Chicken Salad

 This salad from the long-time fast casual food giant, Panera, contains 550 calories, 33 grams of fat, five grams of fiber and 30 grams of protein. It's a popular item, spawning many imitation recipes from users on TikTok.  

While the fat content main appear high, it's in fact only a third of your recommended daily intake of saturated fat - the type that is harmful to arteries, and well within the amounts experts advise for one meal.

What's more, much of the fat comes from the Gorgonzola cheese, which provides filling protein, preventing you from snacking.

Compared to other salads on the menu, like the Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains, it's about 10g lower in fat.