Sitting down to a big bowl of vegetables might make you feel smugly ‘wholesome’, but if you’re not getting a decent bit of fat along with it then you’re missing out on many of the vitamins and minerals that make those vegetables so nutritious in the first place.
This is because many micronutrients are fat-soluble, meaning that they must be accompanied by a lipid to effectively be absorbed and utilized in the body.
A study1 came out this week that measured the bioavailability and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in oil-drizzled salads compared to those accompanied by a fat-free dressing. The results showed that fat-phobic salad eaters aren’t by any means getting the full extent of nutritional benefits to be found in those vegetables.
And hey, a pile of dry green leaves isn’t all that appealing unless you’ve got two floppy ears and a cottontail.
This particular study highlighted salads, but it’s worth pointing out that all your veggie dishes and foods in general (see here for more about full-fat dairy) containing any of the beautiful, fat-soluble vitamins A (including beta-carotene and other carotenoids), E, D and K, along with other natural phytochemicals, will benefit from a dash of fat to help you absorb these nutrients. Eat your sweet potatoes with a pat of butter, your tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and your sautéed greens and Brussels sprouts laced with pine nuts. The raw vegetable sticks nibbled on by seemingly every ‘health-conscious’ individual? Not nearly as nutritious as they could be unless you’re eating them with a side of fat.
The oils to drizzle with (rather than cook with) are cold-pressed mono-unsaturated oils: extra virgin olive oil, macadamia oil and avocado oil. Polyunsaturated oils such as canola, sunflower, safflower, sesame and other vegetable/seed oils are not good choices. Below are a few delicious dressings to help you get the most out of your salads and vegetables.
A study1 came out this week that measured the bioavailability and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in oil-drizzled salads compared to those accompanied by a fat-free dressing. The results showed that fat-phobic salad eaters aren’t by any means getting the full extent of nutritional benefits to be found in those vegetables.
And hey, a pile of dry green leaves isn’t all that appealing unless you’ve got two floppy ears and a cottontail.
This particular study highlighted salads, but it’s worth pointing out that all your veggie dishes and foods in general (see here for more about full-fat dairy) containing any of the beautiful, fat-soluble vitamins A (including beta-carotene and other carotenoids), E, D and K, along with other natural phytochemicals, will benefit from a dash of fat to help you absorb these nutrients. Eat your sweet potatoes with a pat of butter, your tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and your sautéed greens and Brussels sprouts laced with pine nuts. The raw vegetable sticks nibbled on by seemingly every ‘health-conscious’ individual? Not nearly as nutritious as they could be unless you’re eating them with a side of fat.
The oils to drizzle with (rather than cook with) are cold-pressed mono-unsaturated oils: extra virgin olive oil, macadamia oil and avocado oil. Polyunsaturated oils such as canola, sunflower, safflower, sesame and other vegetable/seed oils are not good choices. Below are a few delicious dressings to help you get the most out of your salads and vegetables.
bagna cauda
½ cup olive oil
3 tbs unsalted organic butter
10 anchovy fillets
3 garlic cloves
Blend oil, butter, anchovies and garlic in a processor until smooth and transfer oil mixture to a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (sauce will separate). Serve warm with radicchio, radishes and vegetable crudités for dipping, or over a simple green salad.
3 tbs unsalted organic butter
10 anchovy fillets
3 garlic cloves
Blend oil, butter, anchovies and garlic in a processor until smooth and transfer oil mixture to a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (sauce will separate). Serve warm with radicchio, radishes and vegetable crudités for dipping, or over a simple green salad.
creamy ginger sesame dressing
3 tbs unhulled tahini
2 tbs tamari
2 tsp fresh ginger
½ (or 1 small) clove garlic
Blend ingredients in a processor and serve tossed through a fresh, Asian-style salad.
2 tbs tamari
2 tsp fresh ginger
½ (or 1 small) clove garlic
Blend ingredients in a processor and serve tossed through a fresh, Asian-style salad.
orange vinaigrette
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 orange
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
Sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper
Whisk together ingredients and serve over a peppery rocket or watercress salad.
Juice and zest of 1 orange
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
Sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper
Whisk together ingredients and serve over a peppery rocket or watercress salad.
apple cider drizzler
The apple cider vinegar will help to promote stomach acid production, making it easier to break down the components of your salad and assimilate the nutrients.
3 tbs apple cider vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs untreated honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
Sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper
Whisk together ingredients and serve over a baby spinach, goat’s cheese, red onion and walnut salad.
And some old favourites from previous posts:
3 tbs apple cider vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs untreated honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
Sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper
Whisk together ingredients and serve over a baby spinach, goat’s cheese, red onion and walnut salad.
And some old favourites from previous posts:
macadamia mayonnaise
rosemary & macadamia pesto
1 Shellen R. Goltz, Wayne W. Campbell, Chureeporn Chitchumroonchokchai, Mark L. Failla, Mario G. Ferruzzi. Meal triacylglycerol profile modulates postprandial absorption of carotenoids in humans. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2012; 56 (6): 866.
