Dump that fat-free salad dressing!
Are you not quite convinced that you should clear that fat-free dressing out of your refrigerator door? A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the bioavailability of carotenoids were lower in people after eating fat-free or low-fat salad dressings, rather than after a regular dressing. Their bodies were missing out on benefits from the veggies in the salad with the fat-free and low-fat dressings.

The salad ingredients used in the study, minus the dressing, consisted of spinach, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and carrots. Quite a powerhouse of carotenoids! Carotenoids, including beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin, are mighty anti-oxidants. They are shown to boost our immune systems as well as protect us from certain cancers. If you ask us, we want all the help we can get in those departments! This study showed that when tested after eating the above salad with fat-free dressing, the appearance of carotenoids was negligible. It slightly increased with the low-fat dressing and was highest with the regular full-fat dressing.

Now don’t get the wrong idea and start ordering extra Thousand Island, French, and Ranch dressing the next time you order a spinach salad. You don’t need the sugars, MSG, and artificial ingredients that are used in making those dressings. Use a little olive oil (mixed with spices and vinegar for more flavor) to help facilitate the absorption of those carotenoids and get the most from your salad.