Hello Reader,

Welcome back to Read the Ingredients where we look behind the labels and learn how to support true health from the inside, through what we eat every day.

Let's talk about salad. Often seen as one of the most healthy foods, salad should be the first food every nutritional therapist recommends, right? Well, here's my confession... salad is not always my favorite!

First, the lettuce -- I actually prefer most salads without the lettuce. Nothing against lettuce, it has plenty of nutrients! But you have to eat a very large amount to get a measurable benefit. Be honest, do you enjoy trudging your way through the lettuce, or is it just a carrier for more delicious accessories?! I can usually eat more exciting nutritious food if I skip the lettuce and have more toppings (think tomatoes, olives, avocado, boiled egg, steak, etc).

Then there's the dressing -- and here's where things get really interesting...

Nutrition myth: vegetable oil is healthy

Most salad dressing is made with vegetable or canola oil. Have you ever thought about what vegetable is used to make vegetable oil? In fact, this oil is chemically extracted from a mix of seeds like canola, soybeans, or sunflower. The term vegetable oil refers to it being plant-based, but not made of any vegetables! This is why many health professionals refer to "vegetable oil" as a seed oil, along with other seed oils like corn, soy, safflower, sunflower.

When you squeeze an olive, it's not hard to get olive oil to come out. But when you squeeze a corn kernel or sunflower seed, nothing really happens. It requires high-heat processing and several chemical refinements to get to the point of looking anything like cooking oil (see a video of the process). The chemicals and high heat lead to instability in the oil molecules (what we refer to as an oil being "rancid") -- which affects our bodies as inflammation when we eat them. There is also a high amount of omega-6 fatty acids in seed oils which can lead to further inflammation on our bodies.

So despite what we have been told, vegetable and seed oils are NOT healthy foods. Check your labels to see where they may be hiding in the ingredients.

Eat this, not that -- salad dressing

If vegetable oils are not the best, what can you use instead? Extra virgin olive oil is an excellent alternative -- minimally processed and full or polyphenols and antioxidants, EVOO is a healthy oil for cold uses like salads. (Another time we'll talk about fats that are better for cooking.)

Look for dressings that use only avocado or olive oils. Primal Kitchen is a good brand that is becoming more available in local grocery stores. Buyer beware: some brands are advertising olive or avocado oil but also include canola or other seed oils, so always read the ingredients! Also, look for dressings that do not contain added sugar or artificial flavors.

Homemade challenge... DIY dressing

Here's your bonus challenge for the day -- try making your own DIY salad dressing! It's very easy and can be customized just the way you like it. I'll give you a starting point with this recipe, but don't be afraid to get creative and make your own version.

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
• 1/4 cup organic balsamic or red wine vinegar, or lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon sea salt
• Choose your own adventure: Dijon mustard, crushed garlic cloves, chopped herbs like parsley/basil/mint, black pepper, grated parmesan cheese, etc.

Add all ingredients to a jar and shake until blended, then pour over your salad (with or without lettuce!). Keeps well in the fridge for future meals.

​

What's your take on salads? Hit reply and tell me about a swap you want to try.

⭐ Bonus points if you try making your own salad dressing or have a salad recipe to share!

Warm regards,

Amanda

P.S. Want me to cover a specific ingredient, symptom, or topic next time? Send me a quick reply -- I love ideas and questions!