THE ASSOCIATION FOR DRESSINGS AND SAUCES CELEBRATES APRIL AS CANCER CONTROL MONTH

(April 2006) ATLANTA, GA – “Eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day for better health for yourself and for your loved ones,” says The Association for Dressings and Sauces (ADS).  The Atlanta-based trade association of salad dressing and sauce manufacturers and suppliers to the industry joins the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in raising public awareness of the importance of eating a daily 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of cancer.  Adding salads with dressing to your diet is a simple way to help reach your daily fruit and vegetable goals.

Founded in 1991 as a partnership between NCI and the Produce for Better Health Foundation, 5 A Day is the nation’s largest public/private partnership for nutrition.  The 5 A Day Better Health Program is a national initiative to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables by all Americans. NCI states that eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day will promote good health and reduce the risk of many forms of cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

According to NCI, people whose diets are rich in fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of getting several types of cancers.  There is no one magic fruit or vegetable responsible for reducing cancer risk; instead, research shows that it is the regular consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables that decreases the risk.

Salads with dressing are full of health benefits including cancer-fighting foods.  Look for anti-cancer nutrients in dark green leafy greens (e.g., spinach), broccoli, tomatoes, red peppers, kidney beans and garbanzo beans, suggests askdrsears.com.  In addition, phytoestrogens from plant foods, especially cruciferous vegetables, can lower the risk of estrogen-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer.

Take a look at what your average salad ingredient can do for your health!

Bring on the lettuce…
“Dark-green leafy greens offer plenty of the antioxidant beta carotene (forms vitamin A), which may help protect you from cancer and may slow aging, and another antioxidant, vitamin C,” says the American Dietetic Association.  “The darker the leaves, the more nutrient-rich the lettuce.” Load up on this tasty, fiber-rich vegetable that helps to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke. 

A tomato a day…
This fruit is the epitome of a cancer-fighting superfood. Its red coloring comes mainly from a carotenoid called lycopene, an antioxidant that has displayed anti-cancer potential in a variety of studies.  Antioxidants can help protect against the kind of damage that starts cancer, but recent studies funded by the American Institute for Cancer Research, suggest that tomatoes may help combat cancer in additional ways, at later stages of the process.  Diets high in tomatoes have been associated with lower prostate cancer risk, as well as risk of stomach and pancreatic cancers. In laboratory studies, tomato components have stopped the proliferation of several types of cancer, including breast, lung and endometrium.

Carrots – Not just for good eyesight…
We’ve all been told since we were children to eat carrots for good vision.  The beta carotene found in carrots is not only good for your eyes, it’s also a small, orange warrior in the fight against cancer.  Askdrsears.com states “Beta carotene fights against cancer by both boosting the immune system and releasing a specific chemical called tumor necrosis factor.  Beta carotene can also block the growth of potentially cancerous cells.”

Now, let’s top it off…
Salad dressings are a delicious accompaniment to the inherently healthy fruits and vegetables we consume.  It could be said that a “spoonful” of dressing helps the nutrients go down.  Many salad dressings provide an essential fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid that helps protect women against fatal heart attacks, as well as the ever-important Vitamin E, which offers a wealth of benefits to any salad eater and has been shown to be an all-around immune system booster.  Best of all, they’re tasty!
                        
The Association for Dressings and Sauces is an international trade association representing the manufacturers of salad dressings and condiment sauces and the suppliers to the industry.  Visit us on the web at www.dressings-sauces.org to learn more about the nutritional benefits of salads and salad dressings, and to obtain tasty recipes as well as a copy of the new brochure, “The Good News About Salad Dressings and Sauces.”