by Annette Bromley

Created on: February 14, 2009

IS SALAD DRESSING ALWAYS FATTENING

Absolutely not. There are fat grams and carbohydrates in just about all salad dressings but that does not mean they have to be fattening. The key word here is ALWAYS and the answer to that is NO so for goodness sake, enjoy a little salad dressing. Salad dressing is actually good for you but I say this with a hint of reservation. Good for you depends on you. It all depends on what and how you use it.

We all need a certain amount of fat in our diets to be healthy. Without a certain amount of fat in our diet the vitamins and minerals we need can not be as easily absorbed into our system and on the opposite end of the spectrum our body can not flush the waste as easily without a certain amount of fat. We need fat in our diet.

It is a matter of choosing the right fats, the soluble and the insoluble. It is all a matter of choice. The best and healthiest salad oils I am acquainted with are these; light virgin Olive oil, Canola oil, Safflower oil, Grape seed oil, Rice bran oil, and there are others but these are my favorites and in using them, less is more. You don't need to use a lot of oil. Oil goes a very long way. Add lime, lemon and/or orange juice, vegetable puree, fruit zest and herbs and spices to flavor your dressings. This way they are good and good for you.

To avoid all salad dressing and then avoid eating your salad because the dressing contains fat is a little off the deep end of reality.

Americans, Americans in particular go way overboard with all this fat gram and carb hype and that is what it is, it is just so much hype. It isn't what we are eating, it is how we are eating it that makes the difference and salad dressing does not always have to be fattening to be good. The problem lies in the quantity and quality of the dressing, of what and how we eat it.

If you are seriously concerned then go with the low fat or no fat varieties you can buy at the supermarket or your local health food store or better still, make your own. There are hundreds of great recipes for salad dressings that contain little to no fat.
Type in fat free salad dressings in your search engine and watch the oodles of pages that pop up, go to recipes and enjoy your salad. There is a whole lot more good in that salad than a little dressing will make bad for you.
Enjoy your salad or sandwich and enjoy it with a little dressing.

That salad dressing is bad for you, even slightly depends on how it is made and how you use it, whether or not you slather your salad or sandwich or use just enough for added flavor and seasoning which is how it is meant to be used in the first place. Even mayonnaise is good and you can make your own using healthier oils than many of the commercial varieties, but a skimming of mayonnaise or just a small dab will be just as good as smothering your salad or having it dripping off your sandwich and down your chin with every bite. It is not what you are eating but how you are eating it. Remember, quality over quantity. A little goes a long way.

Here is a suggestion when eating salads; don't put the dressing on your salad.
Instead serve the dressing as a side.
Dip your fork in the dressing before you take up a bite of salad. There will be just enough dressing left on your fork to please your taste buds but so little it will be barely measurable when it comes to counting those fat grams and carbohydrates. If you really want it directly on your salad a sprinkle of dressing is all you need, toss lightly and enjoy.

The key word here is ALWAYS and the answer to that is NO so for goodness sake, enjoy a little salad dressing.

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