THE ASSOCIATION FOR DRESSINGS AND SAUCES KICKS OFF A SUMMER FULL OF SALADS WITH NATIONAL SALAD MONTH

Eating more Dark Leafy Green Salads one way to reap benefits of Vitamin C

(May 2006) ATLANTA, GA – “Celebrate National Salad Month and reward yourself with the gift of better health,” says The Association for Dressings and Sauces (ADS). The Atlanta-based trade association of salad dressing and sauce manufacturers and suppliers to the industry urges consumers to better their body by embracing the many health benefits that salads with dressings provide. ADS recommends salads with dressing, and their numerous accompanying health benefits, for anyone committed to eating healthy and maintaining a nutritionally-balanced life.

The American Heart Association recommends five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day to maintain optimal health and reduce the risk of many forms of cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. One easy and delicious way to get your daily five servings is through salads with salad dressings. Because of their versatility, salads and today’s wide variety of dressings are a favorite way to mind your health and reap so many benefits.

It’s no secret that fruits and vegetables are good for your heart, but did you know that standard salad components are an excellent source of fiber and the antioxidant beta carotene, both of which have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer? “Dark leafy greens are an excellent source of beta carotene, which may help protect from cancer and may slow aging, as well as another antioxidant, vitamin C,” says the American Dietetic Association. “The darker the leaves, the more nutrient-rich the lettuce.”

In addition to fiber and beta carotene, salads with dressing are full of phytochemicals that are necessary for optimal nutrition. “A phytochemical (fight-o-chemical) is a natural bioactive compound found in fruits and vegetables that works together with vitamins, minerals, and fiber to promote good benefit your health in many ways,” states 5aday.gov. “Only fruits and vegetables, not pills or supplements, can give you phytochemicals and nutrients in the healthy combinations nature intended. When you eat fruits and vegetables, nutrients are easily absorbed to provide maximum health benefits.”

Salad dressings are a delicious accompaniment to the naturally healthy fruits and vegetables we consume, and many salad dressings provide an essential fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, that helps protect women against fatal heart attacks, as well as the ever-important Vitamin E, which offers a wealth of benefits to any salad eater. You can rest assured that salad dressings are and have always been trans fat free. Who knew healthy eating could protect against so many ailments and disease?

The Association for Dressings and Sauces is an international trade association representing the manufacturers of salad dressings and condiment sauces and the suppliers to the industry.  Visit us on the web at www.dressings-sauces.org to learn more about the nutritional benefits of salads and salad dressings, and to obtain tasty recipes as well as a copy of the new brochure, “The Good News About Salad Dressings and Sauces.”