Using fat-free dressing in salads? Physician Dr Kunal Sood explains why completely cutting out fat can backfire

Dr Kunal Sood, an anaesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician, says a completely fat-free salad can make some nutrients harder to absorb.

Carotenoids in vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, spinach, and corn are fat-soluble, so they need fat to be absorbed efficiently.

Carotenoids must be packaged into fat-containing particles called micelles during digestion; without fat, absorption is reduced.

A study cited by Dr Sood shows that even a small amount of fat can significantly boost carotenoid absorption compared with fat-free dressing.

The goal is to add just enough healthy fat to salads, not to drench them, to support nutrient absorption.