Food for thought

Fat free salad dressings may not necessarily be the most healthful choice. Researchers who analyze the diets of more than 76,000 women over ten years found that those who had regular oil-and-vinegar dressing five or six times a week were about half as likely to die from heart disease as women who rarely consumed oil-based dressings. The key factor seems to be alphalinolenic acid an omega three fatty acid found in certain vegetable oils ( such as flaxseed and canola) that's been shown in other studies to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.