Newswise — The American Heart Association recommends five or more servings of vegetables and fruits per day to maintain optimal health. The Association for Dressings & Sauces (ADS) says one easy and delicious way to get your daily five is with salads and salad dressings. Because of their versatility, salads and today's wide variety of dressings are a creative way to satisfy your body's healthy cravings.
Salad versatility may not be a science (saladology, tossologist?), but it's most definitely an art form in which anyone can be accomplished. It's easy to change up a salad with a few main ingredients, a protein selection of beef, chicken, fish or tofu, and a dressing that complements the ingredients perfectly. And eating healthy won't break the bank.
According to a recent omnibus survey of 1,000 people, most American adults spend $20 or less per week on salad ingredients. Three fourths of survey respondents agree that the prices of salads and salad ingredients are reasonable, and not only will their salad consumption remain steady in the future, it might even increase. On average, consumers eat salads with dressing twice per week. The survey found 28% of respondents eat more salad at home now than one year ago. And 60% of respondents eat the same amount of salads now that they did one year ago.
Further scientific research has shown that those who eat salads, raw vegetables and salad dressing have considerably higher levels of vitamins C, E, B6 and folic acid, all key nutrients in promoting a healthy immune system. Yes, everyone knows salads are good for you; but here's a newsflash - so are salad dressings. Research has shown that eating salad vegetables with some added fat, such as full-fat salad dressings, promotes the absorption of lycopene, alpha- and beta-carotenes, all of which aid in the fight against cancer and heart disease. Even better, the majority of salad dressings are and have always been trans fat free. So pour on the flavor!
About National Salad MonthADS launched National Salad Month in May of 1992, in response to surveys conducted in 1991 and 2000 which revealed that the majority of adult consumers eat a salad at least twice a week. And nine out of ten people agreed that salads taste better with salad dressing.
About ADSADS is an international trade association representing the manufacturers of salad dressings and condiment sauces and the suppliers to the industry. For information about the research behind the health aspects of eating fresh vegetables and salad dressings, visit www.saladaday.org. You can also visit The Association for Dressings & Sauces on the Web at www.dressings-sauces.org to incorporate the nutritional benefits of salads and salad dressings, and related recipes into your daily menu and to download a copy of the brochure, "The Good News About Salad Dressings & Sauces."
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