Salads offer a fantastic way to get some more vegetables into your eating pattern. They also present a unique opportunity to try a few new vegetables in a low-pressure setting. However, the dressing you pour on your salad can add a lot of unexpected calories, fat, sugar, and more! Take a look at the comparison below to see how your favorite dressing relates to the others.As you can see, Italian dressing is generally the most calorie-dense, with French and honey mustard close behind. In terms of sugars, honey mustard packs the most, with 6 grams of sugar in a single 2 tablespoon serving! French dressing also loads the sugar into the same size serving. If you’re watching sodium, be sure to note the heavyweights in the sodium division — Italian, lite Italian, and thousand island top the chart in terms of sodium content. Finally, Italian, Caesar, bleu cheese, French, and thousand island all have the most saturated fat.For a zippy alternative to heavy dressings, add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice to your salad. It contains only 7 calories, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol and sodium, and 1 g sugars for the same serving size as the dressings above.And remember, check the Nutrition Facts label as you shop! What you see may surprise you.By Judy Doherty, BS, PCIIA note about the data: All salad dressing information comes from manufacturer data provided by peapod.com. The portion size of each dressing was 2 tablespoons, and the brand was the "store brand" for each flavor. Lemon juice information comes from nutritiondata.self.com.
Stephanie Ronco
Stephanie Ronco has been editing for Food and Health Communications since 2011. She graduated from Colorado College magna cum laude with distinction in Comparative Literature. She was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa in 2008.
FAQs
As you can see, Italian dressing is generally the most calorie-dense, with French and honey mustard close behind. In terms of sugars, honey mustard packs the most, with 6 grams of sugar in a single 2 tablespoon serving! French dressing also loads the sugar into the same size serving.
What is the healthiest salad dressing to use? ›
8 Simple and Healthy Salad Dressings
- Sesame ginger. This simple salad dressing doubles as an easy marinade for meat, poultry, or roasted veggies. ...
- Balsamic vinaigrette. ...
- Avocado lime. ...
- Lemon vinaigrette. ...
- Honey mustard. ...
- Greek yogurt ranch. ...
- Apple cider vinaigrette. ...
- Ginger turmeric.
What is the most unhealthy salad dressing? ›
Depending on the ingredients, some dressings tend to be less healthy than others.
- Caesar. And at the top of that list? Caesar dressing. ...
- Thousand Island. Next in line is Thousand Island. ...
- Blue cheese. The delicious crumbles that make blue cheese dressing a fan favorite can also make it dangerous for a balanced diet.
Which is healthier, French or ranch dressing? ›
Ranch and French dressing were ranked the unhealthiest options of the bunch because of their high sodium (260 milligrams and 240 milligrams, respectively) and fat content (14 grams in ranch including 2.5 grams saturated fat, and 15 grams in French with 1 gram saturated fat).
What are the 3 categories of salad dressing explain each? ›
In Western culture, there are three basic types of salad dressing: Vinaigrette; Creamy dressings, usually based on mayonnaise or fermented milk products, such as yogurt, sour cream (crème fraîche, smetana), buttermilk; Cooked dressings, which resemble creamy dressings, but are usually thickened by adding egg yolks and ...
What is the number one salad dressing in the United States? ›
The ranch is hands down America's most beloved salad dressings. It is made from a number of ingredients such as buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, onion, chives, salt, and pepper.
What salad dressing is best for lowering cholesterol? ›
Vinaigrette-style dressings are easy to make by mixing vinegar (such as balsamic, white or red wine vinegars) with oil. Switching from saturated fats to unsaturated fats like vegetable oils (including olive or rapeseed oils) can help lower cholesterol levels when consumed as part of a balanced diet.
What to avoid in salad dressing? ›
5 Ingredients To Avoid
- Palm Oil. Palm oil can pop up in both creamy and oily dressings, and it's a top ingredient that Taub-Dix said to avoid. ...
- Sugar (but it's rarely called sugar) ...
- Salt. ...
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG) ...
- Coconut oil.
What is the bad salad dressing you should be buying? ›
The “Bad” Salad Dressing You Need to Buy
It's ranch! Classic to the American core, ranch dressing is by far the epitome of dressing stardom in the United States. But, with that title also comes the backlash from the naysayers regarding its nutritional value—or lack thereof.
Is olive garden dressing bad for you? ›
This product contains a high percentage of the Institute of Medicine's recommended adequate intake for sodium of 1500 mg a day (IOM 2005). This value is much lower than what the FDA requires be listed on food labels -- 2400 mg. Americans average 3,400 mg of sodium a day.
10 Nutrient-Dense Salad Recipes
- Low-Carb Asian Chopped Salad.
- Spicy Shrimp, Avocado, and Arugula Salad.
- Tofu and Kale Salad.
- Pear, Grape, and Feta Salad.
- Mediterranean Chicken Salad.
- Blood Orange and Quinoa Kale Salad.
- Golden Beet and Pomegranate Salad.
- Roasted Chickpea and Kale Salad.
What is the healthiest oil for salad dressing? ›
The biggest thing to look for in healthy salad dressings is the oil it's made with. For the healthiest salad dressings, you want one made with a good, natural oil like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. You want to look for bottles that say expeller-pressed, cold-pressed, or first-pressed on the label.
What salad dressing has the most sugar? ›
As you can see, Italian dressing is generally the most calorie-dense, with French and honey mustard close behind. In terms of sugars, honey mustard packs the most, with 6 grams of sugar in a single 2 tablespoon serving! French dressing also loads the sugar into the same size serving.
What is the oldest salad dressing? ›
French dressing is the oldest one on our list, but vinegar and oil dressing goes back nearly two-thousand years to ancient Babylonia.
Which salad dressing to choose? ›
Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest. The exception? We like products made with healthy swaps—think Greek yogurt in place of mayo or heavy cream.
How long do salad dressings last after opening? ›
Information. Unopened jars of mayonnaise and salad dressing may be stored in the pantry. After opening, keep refrigerated up to 2 months. For more information, you may call the Food and Drug Administration's toll-free at 1-888-723-3366 or go to FDA's website.
Which salad dressing is best for weight loss? ›
5 Low-Fat Salad Dressings For Weight Loss
- Balsamic Vinaigrette. Salad Lunch GIF. ...
- Lemon Herb Dressing. Summer Salad GIF. ...
- Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing. Whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. ...
- Honey Mustard Dressing. ...
- Tomato Basil Dressing.
What is a healthier alternative to olive oil for salad dressing? ›
You can use any nut oil as an olive oil alternative in salad dressings, but they will likely add a noticeable nut flavor. Vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, and sunflower will contribute less flavor than olive oil to salad dressings but bring the same body and texture.
What salad dressing has the lowest carbs? ›
Olive Oil and Vinegar
Most olive oil-and-vinegar dressings have zero net carbs, which is why they're recommended for followers of the keto diet.
What is the healthiest oil to use for salad dressing? ›
For the healthiest salad dressings, you want one made with a good, natural oil like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. You want to look for bottles that say expeller-pressed, cold-pressed, or first-pressed on the label. These good, natural oils are made with the least amount of damage to the oil.