Carotenoid bioavailability is higher from salads ingested with full-fat than with fat-reduced salad dressings as measured with electrochemical detection.

Background: The amount of dietary fat required for optimal bioavailability of carotenoids in plant matrices is not clearly defined.

Objective: The objective was to quantify the appearance of carotenoids in plasma chylomicrons after subjects ingested fresh vegetable salads with fat-free, reduced-fat, or full-fat salad dressings.

Design: The subjects (n = 7) each consumed 3 salads consisting of equivalent amounts of spinach, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and carrots with salad dressings containing 0, 6, or 28 g canola oil.