In recent years quick stop food chains like Cava have gained popularity, especially due to their variety of bowls, salads and seemingly nutritious meal options. So you’re probably wondering: is Cava healthy?
As a dietitian, I’m always looking for quick and easy meal options too. In this post we’ll cover the pros and cons of Cava, a fast-casual restaurant known for it’s Mediterranean food inspired options.
What is Cava?
Before we dive into the specifics, let’s first understand what Cava is all about.
Cava is a fast-casual chain founded in 2010. Their menu offers customizable bowls, salads, and pitas filled with fresh ingredients and bold flavors inspired by Greek and Lebanese dishes.
Similar to Chipotle, you can make your unique bowl by picking your favorite greens, proteins, toppings, and sauces. The ability to customize your own meal makes Cava a popular choice.
Cava prides itself on using high-quality and nutritious ingredients, making it a popular spot for health-conscious individuals. As a dietitian, I love that sentiment too! We need more health-forward options.
Cava has more than 300 restaurant locations across 26 states so far. It’s one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains.
So – do their menu items match their healthy reputation? Let’s explore.
Pros of Cava
Nutritious ingredients
One of the biggest pros of Cava is their commitment to using nutrient-dense ingredients. What does this mean? It means that their dishes are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber thanks to their veggies and other plant-based ingredients.
For example, their base options include brown rice, quinoa, and super greens like kale and spinach – all excellent sources of fiber and essential vitamins. Their protein options are also diverse, ranging from grilled chicken to falafel to braised lamb.
And let’s not forget about the variety of flavorful toppings such as red pepper hummus, cabbage slaw, kalamata olives, black lentils, roasted vegetables, and tzatziki sauce – all of which add both taste and nutrition to your meal.
Additionally, Cava offers many vegetarian and vegan options, making it a go-to spot for those following plant-based diets.
Fiber-rich options
The vast majority of adults here in the US are not even close to meeting their recommended intake of fiber. Because we tend not to eat enough fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, seeds, or whole grains, we are not getting the health benefits of enough fiber.
That’s why I get excited when a casual restaurant like Cava offers such delicious menu items that include so many fiber-rich ingredients like falafel and hummus (both made with chickpeas), salad greens, whole grains, and other tasty and fiber-rich veggies like roasted broccoli.
Balanced Meals
Balanced meals help you to get all of the nutrients you need to stay full, satisfied and fueled. The three main nutrients we want in our meals are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. We need all three of these players to feel and function best.
You can easily customize your own Cava bowls or your own pita to get a balance of all three nutrients, so they’ll be satisfying and nourishing to keep you fueled.
For example, in the Harissa Avocado bowl, you’ll have energizing carbs from the brown basmati rice and corn, lean protein from the harissa honey chicken and hummus, and fat from the “crazy feta” cheese, avocado, and harissa vinaigrette. Plus, it tastes great!
Customizable
Another major positive is that Cava’s menu is very customizable from the ingredients you choose to the portion sizes, making it a good option regardless of what your needs are!
Convenient
Casual quick stop restaurants like Cava are convenient and a more nutritious option (most of the time) than grabbing something like Burger King. While eating out is likely never quite as “healthy” as making food at home, it’s a quick and convenient way to get a nutrient-dense meal in when you’re in a pinch.
Cons of Cava
Sodium
While there are plenty of nutritious options at Cava, some dishes may contain high levels of sodium. This is mainly due to the use of sauces and dressings, which can add a significant amount of salt to your meal.
For example, if you order their Greek salad with no modifications, it has 1830mg of sodium. That’s almost the daily recommended limit of 2,300 mg sodium per day from a single meal!
If sodium intake is a concern for you (ex: if you have high blood pressure), check out the nutrition information on the menu to choose an option without as much sodium or ask for modifications like less sauce or dressing. Most restaurants in general tend to be similarly high in sodium, so this isn’t unique to Cava.
Cava Nutrition
The nutrition facts of Cava meals vary widely depending on what you order.
For example, if you order one of their salad bowls without modifications, they range in total calories from 585 in the Greek salad to 840 in the Harissa Avocado bowl. Grams of protein range from 24 to 42 g protein, and fiber ranges from 7 to 12 g fiber.
Their pita wraps have a range of calories from 810 to 970. The protein ranges from 22 grams in the crispy falafel wrap up to 51 grams in the spicy chicken and avocado pita wrap.
Depending on your personal calorie goals, these meals may be a tad more than you need. However, everyone is different. That 2,000-calorie guide that you’ll find on the nutrition facts panel may be too high or too low for you, depending on your activity level, age, any weight loss goals, and more.
The good news is that the Cava menu is super customizable and you can easily make adjustments to meet what you need, but it’s just something to make note of. Especially if you have any particular dietary requirements.
The website for Cava just lists the total calories per item on the main online menu, but you can take a more detailed look at the nutrients with their nutrient guide PDF that you can download here. Another option is to use their online “build a bowl” to add up the total calories for your custom bowl.
Cost
The price for a meal at Cava may vary by location, but if you choose a salad bowl and a drink, you’re looking at about $15 in total. It’s definitely not the cheapest place to stop, but also a pretty decent price for a nutrient-dense meal!
Is Cava Healthier Than Chipotle?
Both Cava and Chipotle have healthy options available. At each restaurant, you can order a veggie-packed meal that includes lean protein, fiber-rich foods like beans, healthy fats and even whole grains.
While both chains have nutrient-dense options, Cava has a slightly more vegetable-forward menu in my opinion.
Both can potentially be high in calories, saturated fat, and sodium. So regardless of where you choose to eat, check the menu and customize your meal as needed to make the best bowls and options for you!
The Verdict: Cava is a Healthy Option
So, back to our initial question – is Cava healthy? The answer is yes, with some considerations just like any other restaurant.
As a registered dietitian I love their commitment to using fresh, nutrient-dense ingredients and whole foods and I do think it’s one of the healthiest “fast food chains” available. I truly wish there were more menus out there that looked a bit more like theirs! It’s a great option for grabbing a quick healthy meal; there’s nothing wrong with moderate consumption of Cava.
That said, it’s still important to check the menu to make sure you’re making choices that make sense for you and your needs. Just like most restaurants, there are several options that are high calorie, a lot of sodium sodium, high saturated fat, etc.
Overall, Cava offers a variety of well-balanced and flavorful options that can fit into a healthy diet. Plus, it’s super convenient which is just a necessity of life sometimes!
If you’d like help with meal planning that makes your week run smoothly, check out my Easy Balanced Bites eBook with tasty menus, full grocery lists and lots of options to customize your menu to your own preferences.
