| Fat-free salad dressings aren't all they're cracked up | | | | colors, texture enhancers and preservatives. Look for |
| to be, according to research published in the | | | | olive-oil based dressings without artificial ingredients -- |
| American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It turns out that | | | | real seasonings and herbs taste better.As an |
| key nutrients in vegetables, such as beta-carotene | | | | alternative, making your own dressing doesn't have |
| and lutein, aren't absorbed without fat.Iowa State | | | | to be complicated. Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic |
| University, Columbus researchers tested blood | | | | vinegar are always a good bet. Or, use avocado |
| samples after people ate salads with three different | | | | combined with lemon or lime juice.Adding too much |
| salad dressings, containing 0, 6 or 28 grams of canola | | | | dressing -- even if it's healthy -- also isn't good. To |
| oil. The dressing with the most fat produced the | | | | avoid the pitfall, try this:1. Buy flavorful dark greens, |
| highest degree of nutrient absorption.Another study | | | | preferably organic ones. Tasteless greens are an |
| at Ohio State University, Ames, found that adding 2.5 | | | | invitation to overdo the dressing.2. Don't just pour |
| tablespoons of avocado to salads or salsa increased | | | | dressing onto your salad plate. Put the greens, alone, |
| nutrient absorption dramatically, for example, by 13.6 | | | | in a big bowl and drizzle the dressing over them, |
| times for beta-carotene, which protects against heart | | | | gently -- they can't swim. Toss lightly but thoroughly |
| disease, and by 4.3 times for lutein, necessary for | | | | until the leaves are evenly coated, then add the rest |
| eye health. Other research has shown that some fat | | | | of your salad vegetables and toss a couple more |
| in a meal leaves you more satisfied.Bottled Dressings: | | | | times. This way, your salad will have more flavor.If |
| Good and BadThat said, you don't need unhealthy | | | | washing a big bowl is too much bother, you can |
| fat, often found in bottled dressings as saturated or | | | | always find your nearest 99-cent store, buy a bunch |
| trans ("hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated") | | | | of cheap bowls and toss them in the trash when |
| fats. Also, avoid sky-high levels of sodium, unhealthy | | | | you're done. Just kidding. |
| sweeteners, or additives such as artificial flavors, | | | | |