A ground-breaking 2011 study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research came to the startling conclusion that full-fat salad dressing may actually be better for you than its low-fat equivalent.

Researchers at Purdue University served up veggie salads topped with full-fat dressings, compared to low or no-fat versions and then ran blood tests on participants. They found those who ate salads with the greatest amount of fatty dressings absorbed far higher rates of antioxidants than those who did not, including four times the level of lycopene, seven times the lutein and 18 times the beta carotene.

Why? Many of the nutrients in leafy green vegetables are fat-soluble, meaning they need to be eaten with some fat so that the body can adequately absorb the nutrients.

"Certain foods become healthier when eaten together," says nutritionist Vicki Edgson. "Many vegetables are fat-soluble, which means your body absorbs their nutrients better when you eat a little fat with them.The more nutrients your body absorbs, the less hungry it feels, plus you’ll get fewer sugar cravings."

How much should I have? As always, moderation is key and you should still be wary of shop-brought dressings with high fat or calorie content. The best thing to do is make your own dressing at home using healthy fat sources such as olive oil and avocado. The average woman should eat no more than 20g of saturated fat a day (30g for men).

From popcorn to red wine, guilty pleasure food and drink that may actually be good for you