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- Hey Munchies, welcome to
the channel if you're new,
or if you're not, either way,
I am Alyssia, and I am
so glad you're here.
I used to hate salads,
but as I have healed my
relationship with food,
I have found that I
actually really enjoy them,
and I have started
making my own dressings,
which, in my opinion,
really make or break a salad.
The only problem is that dressings
often contain acidic foods
that put our teeth at risk
for enamel loss and erosion.
This video was sponsored Pronamel,
so today I'll be addressing
enamel loss with acidic foods,
along with these homemade dressing recipes
that are great to help
you enjoy salad more.
First up, a citrus sesame ginger dressing.
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All you do is whisk together
extra virgin olive oil,
sesame oil, rice vinegar,
orange juice, soy sauce, honey,
freshly grated ginger, and minced garlic.
Homemade dressings
require very little work
and are far less processed
than store-bought
and usually lower in sodium.
I don't add salt because
of the soy sauce here.
This Asian-inspired dressing is so tasty.
It's savory and slightly sweet
and has a kick from that ginger
and is very balanced.
In addition to salads,
it's a great meat marinade
or awesome with slaws
or cold noodle salads.
Now this dressing is certainly a wholesome
and, of course, delicious choice,
but vinegar and orange juice
are high-acidity foods.
It doesn't mean that they're not healthy
or that you shouldn't consume them,
but since acidic foods pull
minerals out of your enamel,
we wanna make sure that
we are replenishing,
and brushing with Pronamel
will help to put those minerals back.
Okay, next up, this is a
pantry staple for sure,
an herby Italian dressing.
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It's a mix of extra virgin olive oil,
red wine vinegar, again, highly acidic,
grated Parmesan, fresh parsley,
basil, and oregano for
that herby goodness,
fresh garlic, onion powder,
lime juice, remember, citrus
is also highly acidic,
and salt and pepper.
Whisk it up, and make
sure to season to taste.
Dressings are a great opportunity
to get in extra virgin olive oil.
So I have told you
before that extra virgin
provides so many healthy
fats and antioxidants,
but it has a low smoke point,
so I do not cook with it over high heat.
Instead, I use it in dressings.
And really you can enjoy the
taste more that way, anyway.
This vinaigrette is so versatile,
the fresh herbs are
really what make it shine
and stand apart from a
store-bought version.
This dressing is great with salads,
but I also love to drizzle it
over roasted vegetables and pasta salads,
and it's a great marinade,
especially for grilled food.
The next one might be my current favorite.
I am on a kick with this
white cheddar dressing.
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Now this one involves the blender.
It's sour cream or Greek yogurt,
mayo of choice, or you
could use more sour cream,
extra virgin olive oil,
grated white cheddar cheese, Parmesan,
lemon juice, water or milk as needed,
yellow mustard, garlic,
onion, and salt and pepper.
It gets blended until
super smooth and creamy.
I think it makes a huge difference
to get this one emulsified
versus just whisking it together
and leaving clumps of cheese.
It's so creamy, and this
is pretty much the way
I get in my greens every single day.
Just a little bit of arugula
or your favorite greens with this,
and it's literally a delicious side dish.
It's cheesy, creamy, salty, tasty,
and oh so satisfying.
It's not vinegar-based
but we do have some acidic
foods to be aware of.
The lemon juice, of
course, is highly acidic.
Cheese and dairy milk,
however, are low acidity.
And it's good to note
that pairing foods with
acid-neutralizing options
can help counteract the effects
of the high acidity foods.
Calcium is one mineral that can neutralize
and promote remineralization
in tooth enamel.
Remember, it's not just the dressing,
it's anything that you
put into the salad, too.
So tomatoes, for instance,
are medium acidity,
and we've mentioned citrus is high.
Also dried fruits and berries,
which are often in salads,
are common higher acidic
foods to watch out for.
Speaking of berries,
my delicious berry poppy
seed dressing is next.
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This one gets blended, too.
I used strawberries,
but I've also used raspberries
or a mix before, use your favorite,
along with extra virgin olive oil,
apple cider vinegar and white vinegar,
honey, onion powder,
Dijon mustard, and salt
get processed together.
And then I stir in some poppy seeds.
I love the color of this one.
It is great if you wanna serve a dish
that makes a statement.
But really, the flavor
from the fresh berries
is what sets it apart from
a store-bought dressing.
That being said, berries are acidic,
but, you know, they're also super healthy.
I can't reiterate it enough.
The point is not to avoid these foods,
but to be aware of their acidity
so that you can protect
yourself from tooth erosion,
which can cause tooth sensitivity
and that yellowish discoloration,
so Pronamel is key.
Okay, I have got one more dressing,
it is a lemon tahini dressing,
and this is probably
my long-term favorite.
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First I whisk honey
into some really hot
water until integrated.
Then I add in tahini, lemon juice,
avocado oil, soy sauce,
apple cider vinegar, and pepper.
It seems like it won't
come together at first,
but just keep whisking,
and it smooths out to
become really creamy.
It is so good.
I love it on salad,
but I also love it over
hot or cold rice dishes,
and even as a dipping sauce,
because it really does
thicken up quite nicely.
I actually found out about this dressing
at my first meditation retreat.
It was served at the salad bar,
and I begged for the recipe,
and since then, I have modified it
to make it work for me at home.
It is delicious.
So those are some homemade dressings.
I want you to keep living your best life
regarding healthy foods
that might be acidic,
just protect your teeth.
If you don't know,
tooth enamel is that visible,
outermost covering of our teeth,
and it's there to protect the
inner layers of our teeth,
and it's also the key
to having white teeth.
So if that enamel layer wears away,
then it exposes the inner
layer, which is yellower,
and that erosion can also
lead to tooth sensitivity,
which is, in my opinion,
much worse than yellow teeth.
So to protect your enamel
for strong, healthy teeth,
you can brush with Pronamel products.
Fresh Breath is my go-to,
but they also have a few others
that intentionally whiten and protect.
But also be sure to floss regularly,
use straws for acidic beverages,
drink water with meals,
and this is really, really important,
don't brush your teeth right away.
Try to wait at least an hour or so
after eating acidic foods
before brushing your teeth,
because your saliva does need time
to wash away the acids and
reharden that enamel first.
Okay, so let me know what else you do
to protect your teeth
in the comments below.
Thank you for being here.
I am wishing you all
health, delicious food,
and strong teeth.
I so appreciate this community
and how much you all love to learn
and take responsibility for your health.
You inspire me every single day.
I hope that you will subscribe
and hit the bell for more
if you haven't already.
I will see you next week
for our brand new episode,
and remember, it's all the
matter of mind over munch.
