How to Pick a Low Calorie Salad Dressing
Look for oil, water, and vinegar., Look for a short list of ingredients., Buy the healthiest vinaigrettes.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for oil
These should be the three main ingredients in most healthy, low-calorie dressings.
Accordingly, these should be the first three things listed on a bottle of store-bought dressing.
All the way down the list, there shouldn’t be stuff you can’t easily pronounce.
In fact, the shorter the list, the better.Vinegar and water are both calorie free.
Olive oil is a common ingredient, and most of its fat content is especially healthy
- namely, monounsaturated, omega-9 fatty acids.
Extra virgin olive oil is especially good, while canola oil can be a decent base as well.
The rest of the ingredients in a healthy dressing should be things like herbs and spices. -
Step 2: and vinegar.
Choosing a dressing with a short list of ingredients will help you to pick a healthier option.
Look for dressings with less than 300mg sodium and less than 3g of total sugars per serving.Additives like caramel coloring will not add to the nutrition or mineral content, so you may choose to avoid these ingredients. , Fortunately, there are a few go-to vinaigrettes that are commonly available.
Go for the option with the lowest saturated fat, with either oil or vinegar listed as the first ingredient.
Making your own is still healthier (and cheaper!), but if you prefer to purchase your dressing you'll likely have some decent options at a grocery store in your area.Newman’s Own Lite Italian, Ken’s Light Options Oil & Vinegar, and even Wish-Bone Light Italian all score well in the healthy scale for “light” dressings available at many U.S. grocery stores.
Good standard vinaigrette options that are readily available in the U.S. include Annie’s Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette, Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette, Lily’s Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Drew’s Classic Italian. -
Step 3: Look for a short list of ingredients.
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Step 4: Buy the healthiest vinaigrettes.
Detailed Guide
These should be the three main ingredients in most healthy, low-calorie dressings.
Accordingly, these should be the first three things listed on a bottle of store-bought dressing.
All the way down the list, there shouldn’t be stuff you can’t easily pronounce.
In fact, the shorter the list, the better.Vinegar and water are both calorie free.
Olive oil is a common ingredient, and most of its fat content is especially healthy
- namely, monounsaturated, omega-9 fatty acids.
Extra virgin olive oil is especially good, while canola oil can be a decent base as well.
The rest of the ingredients in a healthy dressing should be things like herbs and spices.
Choosing a dressing with a short list of ingredients will help you to pick a healthier option.
Look for dressings with less than 300mg sodium and less than 3g of total sugars per serving.Additives like caramel coloring will not add to the nutrition or mineral content, so you may choose to avoid these ingredients. , Fortunately, there are a few go-to vinaigrettes that are commonly available.
Go for the option with the lowest saturated fat, with either oil or vinegar listed as the first ingredient.
Making your own is still healthier (and cheaper!), but if you prefer to purchase your dressing you'll likely have some decent options at a grocery store in your area.Newman’s Own Lite Italian, Ken’s Light Options Oil & Vinegar, and even Wish-Bone Light Italian all score well in the healthy scale for “light” dressings available at many U.S. grocery stores.
Good standard vinaigrette options that are readily available in the U.S. include Annie’s Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette, Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette, Lily’s Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Drew’s Classic Italian.
About the Author
Richard Gibson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical home improvement knowledge.
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