Yes, adding greens to pasta is a good diet trick, as it reduces the amount of pasta you'd be eating in favour of leafy greens and fibre. Yet, the reverse? Bad news, here. That pasta is just weighing down your otherwise healthy salad and is taking up valuable space that could be used for extra greens and protein.
"Steer clear of adding premade pasta salad to your salad. You don't know how it was made. It's probably full of white flour that will make your blood sugar spike and crash and drenched in dressing so it's also a calorie bomb," says Moon.
If you really need a grain, choose something that contains a good amount of protein and fibre. "Go for healthier grains and get some plant protein while you’re at it by adding quinoa to your salad. Other great whole-grain options to add healthy carbs to a salad are wild rice, farro, barley, and sorghum. Their fibre and B vitamins will keep you full and energised," says Moon.