SALAD DRESSINGS AND MAYONNAISE ARE AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN NATURALLY TRANS FAT-FREE

ATLANTA, GA – The Association for Dressings and Sauces, an international trade association of salad dressing and mayonnaise manufacturers and their suppliers, wants to remind consumers that salad dressings and mayonnaise do not contain trans fat.  With an abundance of benefits associated with consuming salads and salad dressings, it’s good to know that salad dressings are also trans fat-free! 

In an effort to help educate consumers about trans fat, the Association encourages consumers to take a look at the educational information on their Web site, www.dressings-sauces.org, to obtain answers to some of the most often asked questions related to trans fats, including those listed below.

What are trans fats?

Trans fats are unsaturated fatty acids formed when natural, liquid vegetable oils are processed to make them more solid or more stable.  This process is called hydrogenation.  Trans fats also occur naturally in low amounts in some foods.

Do mayonnaise and salad dressings contain trans fat?

Trans fats are not found in mayonnaise or the vast majority of salad dressings.  Natural, liquid vegetable oils versus partially hydrogenated oils are a primary ingredient in salad dressings, such as soybean, canola, corn, olive, safflower and sunflower oils.  These liquid oils are naturally lower in saturated fats and are trans fat-free.  So feel free to indulge in healthy salads and sandwiches whenever the mood strikes; and there’s no need to hold the dressing or the mayo!

What foods contain trans fats?

Trans fats are present in variable amounts in a wide range of foods, including most foods made with partially hydrogenated oils, such as baked goods and fried foods.  Trans fats also occur naturally in low amounts in certain meats and dairy products.

For more information or to download an informative brochure about the health benefits of salad dressings and sauces, “The Good News About Salad Dressings and Sauces,” please visit the Association for Dressings and Sauces’ Web site at www.dressings-sauces.org.  To learn more about the positive impact salads, vegetables and salad dressings can have on your overall nutritional health, visit www.saladaday.org.