Healing Oils And Homemade Salad Dressings

Misinformation and confusion about fats led many nutritionists and dieticians to advise against using any and all salad dressings. They suggested that salads be dressed with plain lemon juice, thus avoiding the use of any fats and oils. However, a salad with only lemon juice is as exciting as watching snow melt! As a result, many people stopped eating nutritious salads!

The truth is we should avoid most if not ALL commercial salad dressings because they are made with cheap, low-quality oils that are stripped nutritionally and made dangerous by putting these oils under high temperatures. They may also have solvent extracts. Furthermore, commercial salad dressings are bastardized with added stabilizers, preservatives, artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners. As if that weren’t enough of an insult, they have a hefty price tag for empty, unhealthy calories!

Almost all bottled salad dressings (especially the low-fat varieties) contain MSG, a neurotoxin. They may also contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein or similar substances. The “flavor enhancers” aren’t required to be on the label. Ingredients such as “natural flavors” or “spices” may also contain MSG.

The good news out of all this bad news is that homemade salad dressing made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and raw vinegar or lemon juice is the best for every nutritious salad.

EVOO contains Vitamin E and an abundance of antioxidants. Both EVOO and raw vinegar provide potent enzymes right at the beginning of your meal when you need them the most. Fresh herbs, garlic, anchovies, cultured cream, raw cheese, raw egg yolk and homemade mayonnaise added to dressings all make nutritional contributions with enzymes and vitamins. Another major benefit is that they add FLAVORS that wet everyone’s appetite to devour the salad to the last bite . . . including children!

Good dressings take very little time to make. A basic salad dressing can be made with a fork and bowl in less than one minute. With a little practice, you will be making them with ease and even creating your own recipes. These dressings are one of the easiest things to master and they reward you with substantial health benefits.

I recommend EVOO for ALL salad dressings, along with a small amount of unrefined flaxseed oil. Olive oil is rich in oleic acid and is a very stable monounsaturated fatty acid. One of the many health benefits of EVOO is protection from heart disease. Be sure to read the label for cold-pressed or expeller-expressed oils as these also contain Lipases (fat enzymes) that are activated in the stomach to facilitate the breakdown of triglycerides into free fatty acids. If the EVOO has been handled and processed correctly, it will contain all the antioxidants to keep the fatty acids from going rancid. Use Italian EVOO for the best taste. Look for EVOO that is not filtered (cloudy, not clear) and golden yellow. The color is a sign it has been pressed from ripe olives.

You may add some unrefined flax oil as it is the best vegetable source of Omega-3 fatty acids. However, flax oil is very volatile meaning it goes rancid easily. It must be in dark bottles and be kept in cold storage.

I strongly advise against using the many polyunsaturated oils as they are detrimental to your health. These include soy, cottonseed, corn and safflower oils. The cold-pressed versions are also bad for you, so avoid all of these heavily processed oils! They are almost always rancid and have a high Omega-6 component. Too many Omega-6 fatty acids interfere with enzymes needed for producing important prostaglandins, and therefore, may contribute to lowered immunity and inflammation. Canola oil is high in Omega-3, but research shows it may contribute to Vitamin E deficiency because it goes rancid easily (it is treated with deodorants to cover the rancid smell). When oils go rancid, they turn into dangerous fats – Trans fats! Everyone needs to avoid Trans fats like the plague, especially diabetics, those with heart disease and anyone with lowered immunity.

I will be teaching a 3-series cooking class about healing salad dressings. It will be fun and interesting, and you’ll see just how easily you can become an expert. It is a gift that keeps giving after your guests have eaten! It gives them good health! Now what could be better than that? Please call to register.

Donna McIntosh, MS
Wise Eating Traditions
Advanced Nutrition Group, Inc.
(760) 200-9008

Donna has a Master’s in Holistic Nutrition. Her specialties include diabetes, weight loss and metabolic syndrome. Lab reports are used extensively to discover YOUR individual biochemistry. She also teaches traditional cooking methods that our great-grandmothers used to keep healthy.


home \| Temecula Valley \| Coachella Valley \| NCC San Diego \| Riverside-Corona \| Chicago \| Hong Kong \| franchise

Click a category above or search for a topic: × Close

Healing Oils And Homemade Salad Dressings By Donna McIntosh, MS Misinformation and confusion about fats led many nutritionists and dieticians to advise against using any and all salad dressings. They suggested that salads be dressed with plain lemon juice, thus avoiding the use of any fats and oils. However, a salad with only lemon juice is as exciting as watching snow melt! As a result, many people stopped eating nutritious salads! The truth is we should avoid most if not ALL commercial salad dressings because they are made with cheap, low-quality oils that are stripped nutritionally and made dangerous by putting these oils under high temperatures. They may also have solvent extracts. Furthermore, commercial salad dressings are bastardized with added stabilizers, preservatives, artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners. As if that weren’t enough of an insult, they have a hefty price tag for empty, unhealthy calories! Almost all bottled salad dressings (especially the low-fat varieties) contain MSG, a neurotoxin. They may also contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein or similar substances. The “flavor enhancers” aren’t required to be on the label. Ingredients such as “natural flavors” or “spices” may also contain MSG. The good news out of all this bad news is that homemade salad dressing made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and raw vinegar or lemon juice is the best for every nutritious salad. EVOO contains Vitamin E and an abundance of antioxidants. Both EVOO and raw vinegar provide potent enzymes right at the beginning of your meal when you need them the most. Fresh herbs, garlic, anchovies, cultured cream, raw cheese, raw egg yolk and homemade mayonnaise added to dressings all make nutritional contributions with enzymes and vitamins. Another major benefit is that they add FLAVORS that wet everyone’s appetite to devour the salad to the last bite . . . including children! Good dressings take very little time to make. A basic salad dressing can be made with a fork and bowl in less than one minute. With a little practice, you will be making them with ease and even creating your own recipes. These dressings are one of the easiest things to master and they reward you with substantial health benefits. I recommend EVOO for ALL salad dressings, along with a small amount of unrefined flaxseed oil. Olive oil is rich in oleic acid and is a very stable monounsaturated fatty acid. One of the many health benefits of EVOO is protection from heart disease. Be sure to read the label for cold-pressed or expeller-expressed oils as these also contain Lipases (fat enzymes) that are activated in the stomach to facilitate the breakdown of triglycerides into free fatty acids. If the EVOO has been handled and processed correctly, it will contain all the antioxidants to keep the fatty acids from going rancid. Use Italian EVOO for the best taste. Look for EVOO that is not filtered (cloudy, not clear) and golden yellow. The color is a sign it has been pressed from ripe olives. You may add some unrefined flax oil as it is the best vegetable source of Omega-3 fatty acids. However, flax oil is very volatile meaning it goes rancid easily. It must be in dark bottles and be kept in cold storage. I strongly advise against using the many polyunsaturated oils as they are detrimental to your health. These include soy, cottonseed, corn and safflower oils. The cold-pressed versions are also bad for you, so avoid all of these heavily processed oils! They are almost always rancid and have a high Omega-6 component. Too many Omega-6 fatty acids interfere with enzymes needed for producing important prostaglandins, and therefore, may contribute to lowered immunity and inflammation. Canola oil is high in Omega-3, but research shows it may contribute to Vitamin E deficiency because it goes rancid easily (it is treated with deodorants to cover the rancid smell). When oils go rancid, they turn into dangerous fats – Trans fats! Everyone needs to avoid Trans fats like the plague, especially diabetics, those with heart disease and anyone with lowered immunity. I will be teaching a 3-series cooking class about healing salad dressings. It will be fun and interesting, and you’ll see just how easily you can become an expert. It is a gift that keeps giving after your guests have eaten! It gives them good health! Now what could be better than that? Please call to register. Donna McIntosh, MS Wise Eating Traditions Advanced Nutrition Group, Inc. (760) 200-9008 Donna has a Master’s in Holistic Nutrition. Her specialties include diabetes, weight loss and metabolic syndrome. Lab reports are used extensively to discover YOUR individual biochemistry. She also teaches traditional cooking methods that our great-grandmothers used to keep healthy.