I normally don't use fat free dressings. I love original Hidden Valley Ranch so I just use that in the correct portion size on my salad. Or do half salsa half ranch mixed. Or just use salsa on my salad if I don't feel like ranch.

I do however use LOW fat sour cream mixed with the Hidden Valley dip packets (which come in Ranch, Onion, and a couple other flavors) as dip for raw veggies on a frequent basis. Makes me wonder if the low fat kind has enough fat to help the nutrients absorb. I'm normally eating these veggies as a side though so the main course of my meal would provide more fat as well at the same time.

I don't really like the taste of non fat products. I discovered it recently when my sister brought the same dip I mentioned but it tasted bad to me. I checked the date and quizzed her on what packet she got. Then I realized it was non fat sour cream and that made it taste off to me.

But I just realized that I do eat non fat yogurt and light string cheese on a regular basis. Everything in moderation, right?!?!

Just thought I would throw this out there b/c it was interesting to me. Here's the blurb I saw in the health news on Spark:

Fat-Free Salad Dressings Reduce Nutrient Intake: Study

Putting a fat-free dressing on your salad may actually reduce the amount of nutrients your body absorbs from the vegetables and fruits in your salad, a new study suggests.

Purdue University researchers found that some fat in dressings is essential to absorb compounds such as lycopene and beta-carotene, which have been linked with a reduced risk of illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The study was published online Wednesday in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

"If you want to utilize more from your fruits and vegetables, you have to pair them correctly with fat-based dressings," lead author Mario Ferruzzi, an associate professor of food science, said in a news release, The Times reported. "If you have a salad with a fat-free dressing, there is a reduction in calories, but you lose some of the benefits of the vegetables."