Low-Fat Salad Dressing Isn't Necessarily The Healthiest Option, Purdue Study Shows

from huffingtonpost.com

What could be healthier than a salad? The raw vegetables and fruits that comprise the foundation of any healthful bowl are chock-full of vitamins, nutrients, fiber and water -- all things your body needs to function optimally. And while you might think you're doing yourself a favor by adding a low- or no-fat dressing atop your pile of leafy greens, the truth is that these diet options may be preventing you from getting the full benefit of many of the nutrients that make salad such a good choice.

That's because an important class of nutrients called carotenoids, which include lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, are fat-soluble. In other words, carotenoid-rich foods must be eaten with some measure of fat to make the nutrients available to humans.

Carotenoids, found in high numbers in colorful vegetables like carrots, tomatoes and onions, are associated with a reduction in cancer risk, protection of eyesight and a lower risk of cardiovascular-related death. One study even found that they can make you appear more beautiful.

"If you want to utilize more from your fruits and vegetables, you have to pair them correctly with fat-based dressings," Mario Ferruzzi, the lead author of a study and associate professor of food science at Purdue said in a statement. "If you have a salad with a fat-free dressing, there is a reduction in calories, but you lose some of the benefits of the vegetables."  Continue reading at HuffingtonPost.com