Fat Facts and Fallacies about Dressings and Sauces
For centuries, salad dressings have been used to enhance the flavor of food. Salad dressings are most often consumed with fruits and vegetables, which help to promote a healthy diet. Without prepared salad dressings and sauces, consumers may choose to avoid fresh salads, fruits and vegetables altogether.
The most recent edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends increasing vegetable and fruit intake, and eating a variety of vegetables. Salads are a great way to meet the daily recommendation for fruits and vegetables. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles and Louisiana State University published a study in the September 2006 Journal of the American Dietetic Association that found that those who eat salads, raw vegetables and salad dressing have considerably higher levels of vitamins C, E and folic acid, all key nutrients in promoting a healthy immune system.
It is important to note that some dietary fat is essential, provides energy and helps the body transport and use certain vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K. The most recent edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended increased used of oils to replace solid fats, where possible. Mayonnaise and oil-based salad dressings were highlighted as foods that contain oil. Oil-based salad dressings are made with healthy oils, such as soybean, canola and olive, and can be part of a well-balanced diet. In addition, the vast majority of salad dressings are also free of trans fat.
Further, research from Iowa State University and Ohio State University published a study in the August 2004 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that showed eating salad vegetables with some added fat, such as full-fat salad dressings, promotes the absorption of lycopene, alpha- and beta-carotenes, all of which aid in the fight against cancer and heart disease. Most recently, a study from Purdue University published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research confirmed these findings and also determined that consuming salads with fat added from dressings increased the absorption of certain nutrients.
The manufacturers ADS represents are committed to providing healthful products to consumers, based on their lifestyles and taste preferences. There are endless choices of salad dressings with numerous flavor and nutritional options for any palate. In today’s fast-paced world, it is nice for consumers to have options to allow them to maximize the little leisure time they have. Prepared salad dressings make daily consumption of more salads, vegetables and fruits even easier.
