A recent study conducted by Wendy White, associate professor of food science and nutrition at Iowa State University, shows that eating salad vegetables with some added fat promotes the absorption of lycopene, alpha- and beta-carotenes, all of which aid in the fight against cancer and heart disease.
On the flip side, eating a salad completely devoid of fat deprives the body of these beneficial substances. Likewise, a consumer can eat a handful of carrot sticks, but without the accompanying ranch dressing or dip, the body can kiss the beta-carotene goodbye.