In choosing the base for your salad, always remember that the darker the color and the more variety, the better for packing the most nutritional components into your meal.

Below are the 6 healthiest greens for your salad:

1. Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is considered to be a powerhouse of phytonutrients that have health and disease prevention properties. Swiss chard are rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C and K.

Adding Swiss cchard in your diet may help prevent osteoporosis, iron-deficiency anemia and vitamin-A deficiency. It can also protect you from colon and prostate cancers and cardiovascular diseases.

Calories: 14, Carbs: 3g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 1g

2. Spinach

Spinach are packed with iron, fiber, vitamins A, C and K. It also contains more folic acid than other salad greens, that help convert the food eaten into energy, thus producing healthy red blood cells.

You can try adding spinach with strawberries, feta cheese sprinkles and balsamic for a delicious and healthy salad.

Calories: 14, Carbs: 2g, Fiber: 1.5g, Protein: 1.6g

3. Arugula

Want spice in your salad? Then arugula is the perfect choice! It is peppery but not too overpowering. It contains calcium, iron, vitamins A and C. You can combine it with beets for an awesome combination.

Calories: 10, Carbs: 1.5g, Fiber: .5g, Protein: 1g

4. Watercress

Watercress contains almost all the recommended daily intake for vitamins A, C and K. Vitamin K is vital because it creates the proteins necessary for normal blood clotting, it protects against osteoporosis and help builds stronger bones.

Calories: 10 Carbs: 1g, Fiber: .5g, Protein: 2g

5. Lettuce

Lettuce is considered to be staple of any salad. Some of its health benefits are it helps lower cholesterol levels, protects neurons, anxiety control, lowers inflammation and provides a supply of antioxidants.

6. Kale

Adding 1 cup of kale into your salad can meet your daily requirement for vitamin A, C and K. Added to that, kale is also considered to be one of the best cancer-fighting vegetable because of the natural chemicals it contains.You can add kale with beans, seeds, nuts and roasted squash for your salad.

Calories: 33, Carbs: 6g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 3g