Scan the label to look for these ingredients and nutrition facts.
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Salad dressings are an important part of the taste and nutrition of your salad.
But with countless varieties of salad dressings on store shelves, picking out a healthy one can feel overwhelming.
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Is a creamy dressing less healthy than a vinaigrette?
Should you opt for a low-fat dressing?
What Makes Salad Dressing Healthy?
These ingredients often increase the added sugar and sodium in the dressing.
Flip the bottle over and look at the ingredients before purchasing.
Look for a dressing that prioritizes simple ingredients like oil, vinegar, spices or herbs.
The same goes foradded sugar, which most Americans overdo it on in their typical patterns.
Some sweeter-tasting dressingslike honey mustard or poppy seed dressingtend to be high in added sugar.
The recommended intake for added sugar is 50 grams per day, which can add up quickly.
A healthy dressing is also lower in added sugar and sodium.
This typically includes dressings with sugar, sour cream, heavy cream or mayonnaise as the first ingredient.
In addition, low-fat dressings usually contain more added sugar to enhance their taste.
Read the Nutrition Facts panel on low-fat dressing to assess whether its a healthy option for your nutrition goals.
Not to mention, its much easier to control the amount of added sugar and salt.
Ourhomemade vinaigrette formulacalls for six main ingredients: oil, vinegar, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper.
Choose any key in of oil, vinegar and herbs you enjoy.
For example, try sesame oil, rice vinegar and fresh ginger for a zingy and savory dressing.
Experiment with ingredients like Greek yogurt, avocado or nut butter for a creamier texture.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of healthy salad dressing options available in the store.
But some premade bottles can have sneaky ingredients that make them not the healthiest choice for daily munching.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Cut Down on Saturated Fats
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Top 10 Things you should probably Know About the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label.
