The dressing you put on that beautiful pile of vegetables in your bowl can make or break the healthfulness of your salad. Go to the refrigerator and get the dressing out of your refrigerator. Really, go get it...
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Take a look at the ingredients and look at the labeling and ingredients. If it says fat free, your dressing just failed
Test 1. Many of the the
vitamins found in vegetables are fat soluble, meaning in order to be used, they must be accompanied by fat. Otherwise, your attempt at
being healthy is lost. Those vitamins go unused. A few teaspoons of full fat dressing (using a healthy source according to your dietary beliefs) will do the job fine.
Test 2 asks if the dressing contains xanthan gum.This gum substance is frequently found in foods to give a thick and creamy texture we all enjoy. However, it appears that some people are very sensitive to it and suffer headaches and gastrointestinal symptoms after ingestion. In addition it is made from corn, likely a GMO variety. Other vegetable based gums can provide the same desirable creaminess, but without the bad side effects. See another gum or thickening agent in your dressing? Look into it and see if it is something you are okay with.
Test 3 involves sugar, corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners.
Fat free and low fat dressings tend to have more. If it has sugar, how much? If it has an artificial sweetener or corn syrup, proceed with caution as they are linked to a myriad of health dangers. Look for the words Sucralose, Aspartame, Saccharine, Acesulfame K. The brand name of the sweetener may be used as well. Corn syrup is so
common in processed foods, we hardly blink an eye at it. However, some experts point to the skyrocketing obesity rate mirrors the ever increasing use of the sweetener over the past 30+ years.Are we doomed? Damned if we dress those greens, damned if we don't? No way-
salad dressing is very simple to whip up. Try one of these great tasting choices straight from your kitchen in no time at all!
Greek Dressing
Ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 1/4 tsp of each of the following: garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil; 1 teaspoon of each of the following: pepper, salt, onion powder, Dijon mustard; 2/3 cup red wine vinegarDirections: First, mix olive oil with all ingredients EXCEPT the vinegar. Then add the red wine vinegar and mix vigorously until well blended. Store at room temperature. Makes 10 servings.
Asian Ginger Dressing
Ingredients: 3 cloves garlic minced, 2 tbsp minced ginger root, 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup rice vinegar, 1/2 cup soy sauce (check for gluten free label if you follow a GF lifestyle), 3 tbsp honey, 1/4 cup waterDirections: In a glass microwaveable jar add all ingredients together. Shake or stir vigourously. Microwave 1 minute just to dissolve the honey. Store covered in the refrigerator. Makes 20 servings.
Simple Italian Dressing
Ingredients: 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup basalmic vinegar, 2 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
Directions: Simply shake or stir all ingredients well before serving. Store at room temperature. Makes 12 servings.To add further benefit, these dressings are all made using olive oil instead of grain seed oils which are high in omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are not unhealthy when they are in proper ratio to omega-3 fatty acids.
But the typical American ingests entirely too much omega-6 compared to their omega-3 intake.This blog is in it's beginning stages and we are trying to grow our readership and spread the word to end the ravaging affects that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is
having upon our health. We ask that you please share articles and the site with your friends through Facebook, Twitter, or email. We would also like to remind you that the easiest method to keep up is to sign up by email. We will not share your email address with anyone.
