Researchers at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans found that people who eat salads have higher serum levels of vitamins C and E, folic acid, and carotenoids, suggesting that these nutrients are well absorbed in the body from raw vegetables. These findings are based on data from a federal health and nutrition survey of 17,688 US adults between 1988 and 1994. The findings will be published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
The study contributes to the existing body of research showing Americans are not getting enough fruits and vegetables. "From this analysis we know that one extra serving of salad daily increased levels of a variety of nutrients," concluded the authors led by Dr Joseph Su.
Using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers estimated the nutrient intake of participants. They assessed the relationship between salad consumption, serum nutrient levels and dietary adequacy following National Academy of Science Food and Nutrition Board guidelines.
Each serving of salad consumed was associated with a 165 percent higher likelihood to meet the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C in women and 119 percent greater likelihood in men. Similarly, increased levels of vitamin B6 were 73 percent for women and 186 percent for men, and vitamin E and folic acid levels rose by 41 percent and 53 percent in the same categories.
The study noted a discrepancy in raw vegetable consumption among African Americans when compared with other groups. "More nutrition promotion efforts are needed to reach the non-Hispanic African-American community," urged the researchers. For example, the data revealed consumption of salads or raw vegetables was 10 to 15 percent lower among non-Hispanic African Americans than among non-Hispanic whites of the same age and sex.
Notwithstanding the evidence that nutrients were indeed absorbed from raw food salads, the authors satated that "controversy exists over whether or not consumption of raw vegetables contributes substantially to nutrient adequacy, due to issues of bioavailability." They did concede that: "Low bioavailability of nutrients from these sources does not appear to be of concern in the population at large."
The study also addressed the nutrient content of vegetables compared with fruits. "Much of the research on diet and cancer points to vegetable consumption being more strongly associated with reduced risk than fruit intakes," the authors wrote."Thus, in terms of broad recommendations and chronic diseases, it may be more important to increase vegetable consumption than fruit consumption."
How slowly some things progress. They are now ‘finding’ things many of us have been saying for a long, long time. Still, it is good to see increased consumption of salads and raw vegetables being promoted.
