Guest guest Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Oil Helps Nutrient Absorption Adding oil-based salad dressing to your veggies will help you to absorb nutrients. That’s according to scientists at Iowa State University who recruited graduate students for the study. The students ate salad greens and tomatoes along with various types of salad dressings every day for one month. Researchers analyzed blood samples before and after they’d eaten the salads in order to get precise measurements of the absorption of nutrients. Results revealed that people who had eaten fat-free or low-fat dressings didn’t absorb the beneficial carotenoids from the salad. Only the oil-based dressing helps the body absorb nutrients. Carotenoids are the pigments responsible for red-, yellow- and orange-colored fruits and vegetables, and are found in dark green vegetables such as spinach. Studies reveal that carotenoids have antioxidant activity which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Human studies have linked high consumption of fruits and vegetables to reduced risk of cancer. Researchers were not surprised by the findings of the fat-free vs. regular salad dressing study. “We already knew that carotenoids were fat soluble,” explains Wendy White, a professor of Human Nutrition at Iowa State University. The results helped reinforce the idea that a little fat is healthy. Other ways to help maximize the absorption of carotenoid nutrients include chopping or grating; the finer the particle size, the better the absorption of beta-carotene. To read the full article, visit www.NPR.org! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 This or a similar study was covered on Michael Greger MD " Latest in Nutritional Research 2009 " DVD. Rather than oil, you can use other fats such as avocado or nuts. If you eat a few almonds or walnuts with your salad, for example, it would do the trick of enabling aborption of nutrients. I sprinkle some ground flax seed on my salad. , " Judy Goldsmith " <judyjtg wrote: > > Oil Helps Nutrient Absorption > > Adding oil-based salad dressing to your veggies will help you to absorb > nutrients. That's according to scientists at Iowa State University who > recruited graduate students for the study. > > The students ate salad greens and tomatoes along with various types of salad > dressings every day for one month. Researchers analyzed blood samples before > and after they'd eaten the salads in order to get precise measurements of > the absorption of nutrients. Results revealed that people who had eaten > fat-free or low-fat dressings didn't absorb the beneficial carotenoids from > the salad. Only the oil-based dressing helps the body absorb nutrients. > > Carotenoids are the pigments responsible for red-, yellow- and > orange-colored fruits and vegetables, and are found in dark green vegetables > such as spinach. Studies reveal that carotenoids have antioxidant activity > which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Human studies > have linked high consumption of fruits and vegetables to reduced risk of > cancer. > > Researchers were not surprised by the findings of the fat-free vs. regular > salad dressing study. " We already knew that carotenoids were fat soluble, " > explains Wendy White, a professor of Human Nutrition at Iowa State > University. The results helped reinforce the idea that a little fat is > healthy. > > Other ways to help maximize the absorption of carotenoid nutrients include > chopping or grating; the finer the particle size, the better the absorption > of beta-carotene. > > To read the full article, visit > <http://m1e.net/c?99202704-OG1uhldRwQa1M%404574960-.PivsdqfimjoI> > www.NPR.org! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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