The Texas Roadhouse Salad That's Not Nearly As Healthy As We Thought

If you're going to Texas Roadhouse, chances are you're going for a steak dinner. But sometimes you want to try something a bit different — and healthier. The Steakhouse Filet Salad, which features salad greens, filet strips, blue cheese, bacon, red onion, tomatoes, croutons, and Italian dressing, may seem like the perfect way to eat some greens and veggies without having to forgo steak entirely. However, this dish is far from healthy — and is actually one of the unhealthiest dishes you can order at the chain.

To start with, the Steakhouse Filet Salad has 1,340 calories, which is a fairly big portion of what is recommended for an individual to eat in a day — an adult woman should consume between 1,800 and 2,200 calories, while an adult man should consume between 2,400 and 2,800 calories each day. Notably, consuming too many calories, on a regular basis, can not only lead to weight gain but can also affect your memory and sleep cycle.

The amount of calories in one salad is already a lot to process, but then there's the fat content — the salad contains 103 grams of total fat. The nutritional label lists that as 158% of the daily intake — over 50% more than what you should be eating in an entire day in just one salad. Too much fat in your diet — especially when it's saturated fat versus unsaturated fat — can lead to a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, gastrointestinal problems, and weight gain.

The Steakhouse Filet Salad also has high cholesterol and sodium

Unfortunately, the negative factors of the Steakhouse Filet Salad don't stop with the calories and fat — the dish also has a large amount of cholesterol and sodium. It contains 190 milligrams of cholesterol, which is listed as 63% of the daily intake. Too much cholesterol in your diet can lead to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

Finally, the salad has a high amount of sodium — 2,870 milligrams to be exact, which is listed as 120% of the daily intake. To put that into perspective, it's recommended that adults eat less than 2,300 milligrams in an entire day. Much like with too much cholesterol or fat in your diet, too much sodium can lead to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

All that being said, having the Steakhouse Filet Salad from time to time is fine. But It's important to understand exactly what you're consuming and how it fits into the nutritional landscape.