46. You skip the dressing on your salad

THE RESULT: You may be missing out on healthy fats and the ability to absorb the salad’s nutrients.

THE FIX: Salad dressings are all over the nutritional map. Some, such as blue cheese, are hefty in sat fat (1.2g per tablespoon) and others, such as balsamic vinaigrette, provide a good dose of healthy fats (1g of monounsaturated and 1.3g of polyunsaturated, with 0.4g sat fat). When purchasing a bottled dressing, shift your focus away from total fat. The nutrition label’s number for total fat includes bad fats and good fats, so it is misleading. Instead, look at the specific types of fat listed under total fat; aim for more mono- and polyunsaturated fats, less saturated, and no trans. Oil and vinegar–based dressings are generally high in healthy fats. In addition to the good-for-you components of dressings, those fats add rich texture and flavor and also help you absorb the fat-soluble nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, and K) found in salad.