Low Cholesterol Salad Dressing

A heart-healthy diet emphasizes fruits and vegetables and foods that are low in cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium. Dietary cholesterol can increase your blood levels of cholesterol, particularly LDL cholesterol, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Low cholesterol salad dressings can enable you to enjoy your salad and at the same time, improve your health. A nutritionist can advise you about your health and eating low cholesterol salad dressings.

Olive oil and vinegar is a heart-healthy salad dressing that contains 0 mg cholesterol. Olive oil contains high concentrations of monounsaturated fat that is healthy for your heart and may help you to reduce your risk of heart disease. Research by scientists at the University of Athens in Greece and published in "Clinical Cardiology" in March 2007 found that exclusive use of olive oil is associated with a 47 percent lower likelihood of having coronary heart disease compared to not consuming olive oil. The results also demonstrate that consumption of olive oil in combination with other oils or fats is not significantly associated with lower odds of coronary heart disease compared to no olive oil consumption.

A healthy type of Italian dressing includes sunflower oil, white vinegar and spices. Sunflower oil has a high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids that are healthy for your heart with 0 mg cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fatty acids include omega-3 fatty acids, such as alpha-linolenic acid and omega-6 fatty acids. Research by scientists at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in May 1999 found a higher intake of oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly alpha-linolenic acid, and vinegar salad dressing is associated with a reduced risk of fatal heart disease in women who consume this food five or more times per week compared with women who rarely consume the oil.

Honey mustard dressing is a delicious dressing to include on your salads. Honey mustard dressing can be made with honey, mustard, canola oil and spices. Canola oil is a rich source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Plus, it contains 0 mg of cholesterol. Canola oil is bland so it does not mask the taste of the other salad dressing ingredients.

An Asian ginger dressing that includes peanut oil, rice wine vinegar, fresh ginger, soy sauce and lemon juice and spices contains 0 mg of cholesterol. Peanuts are a legume that contains antioxidants and can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. Research by scientists at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, Iran, and published in "Public Health Nutrition" in October 2010 reports that peanut consumption significantly reduces LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, increased HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol, and lowered the risk of coronary heart disease in men with high blood cholesterol.