Just saying that you're headed to the salad bar is enough to make you feel virtuous, but not all salad fixings are created equal. In fact, if you choose poorly, you could end up with a bowlful of fat and calories — and not so much nutrition. Choose wisely, on the other hand, and that salad can be a super-healthy meal complete with several servings of vegetables, protein and numerous essential nutrients. As a general rule of thumb, avoid prepared salads (like tuna or pasta), as well as high-fat dressings (like blue cheese or ranch). Instead, opt for the freshest, most-colorful array of veggies mixed with lean sources of protein. Here are nutritionists' top choices for creating a healthy mix.

Skip past the anemic-looking iceberg lettuce and head straight for the kale, spinach and arugula. The richer the color of the leaves, the richer they are in nutrients. Dark leafy greens are rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, folate, beta carotene, lutein and numerous flavonoids (antioxidant compounds). "You'll get lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health, and they're a source of dietary nitrates which have a vasodilatory effect," explains Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine, Pittsburgh.

This vegetable is a member of the cruciferous family (which also includes kale, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower). Cruciferous vegetables contain a unique category of phytonutrients called glucosinolates, which research shows to be important for preventing cancer.

As the name would suggest, carrots are one of the richest sources of the antioxidant beta carotene, which has been shown to be beneficial for vision, as well as preventing cardiovascular disease and some cancers.