To Oil or Not

Tonight I choose to have a yummy salad for dinner.  It was a simple salad consisting of red leaf lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. I needed something quick that I knew would give me the nutrients that my body wanted and needed.  I did add one more thing.  Can you guess?  Some of you might guess that I added a dressing.  I did not.  I added an avocado.  I know that some of you can not imagine a salad with out some sort of dressing on it.  I do not object to a yummy dressing or some olive oil on my salad from time to time.  The reason for my lack of dressing is a simple lesson in nutrient density for you all.


Olive oil (and all oils for that matter), are very high in fat.  The high fat content is not the problem.  The problem is that those fat calories are just that: fat and calories.  The avocado that I added gave the salad fat, calories AND nutrients. Olive Oil does have some nutrients, but compared to the avocado, fat calorie for fat calorie, you are getting more nutrients in avocado compared to the fat calories in the oil.  


Avocado is low in Cholesterol and Sodium.  It is also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and folate.  Olive oil is a good source of some of the omegas, so I am not saying do not consume it at all.  I am saying that if you are trying to lose weight, or trying to increase energy the calories that you consume would better serve you if more nutrient dense.  


I challenge you to eat your next salad, sans dressing/oil.  Add an avocado.  When you eat this salad really taste the lettuce, the tomato, the cucumber.   You might be surprised at how much you DO like the taste of your salad, I know I was.  


Like more ideas on new and exciting twists on salads?  Let Healing Through Nutrition know and salads will be your new favorite meal.