The Healthy “Fat Salad” a Functional Medicine Doctor Loves to Eat for Lunch

I have a really important question that needs answering: What did salads look like before the avocado craze? I imagine sad iceberg lettuce paired with sadder croutons, and topped with the kind of dressing that just kind of pools at the bottom of the to-go container. (Moment of silence.) Luckily, we're living in the era of greenery 2.0, when salads are just as fancy as any other dish. Case in point: the edible art of this salad with avocado created by functional medicine doctor Mark Hyman, MD.

"I've learned how to make amazingly delicious meals really simply," said Dr. Hyman at April's Well+Good's TALKS in New York City. His choice lunch is "fat salads," a bed of greens piled with ingredients that contain omega-3s and other healthy fats. After piling a plate high with spinach, kale, or another leafy green, he adds avocado (duh), a sprinkling of nuts, a can of wild salmon, olives, and a drizzle of olive oil. When in doubt, just add "a lot of good fats and protein," says Dr. Hyman.

If you're a vegetarian, you could nix the salmon in favor of nature's multivitamin (eggs!) for a boost of protein. Or, if you follow an entirely plant-based diet, you could roast a can of chickpeas and sprinkle them over your midday meal like legume croutons. It's totally up to you.

No matter the melange of ingredients, take solace in the fact that the fats on the end of your fork are about to bestow you with all their nutritional gifts. Other experts agree with Dr. Hyman's love of the nutrient: Not only will they boost your brain power, they're also known to keep your blood sugar levels stable (and thus keep you fuller, longer), Rebecca Shern, RD, previously told Well+Good. Who knows what the next-gen of salads will look like. For now, let's live in the avocado-rich moment.

Previous Well+Good TALKS covered the juicy topics of sex and CBD

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