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| Yes | 10% | 13 votes | Total: 131 votes | |
| No | 90% | 118 votes |
Yes
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Add to FavoritesSalad dressings come in a wide variety of options. You can get low fat and even fat free varieties, but that doesn't mean that is healthy for you. In fact all salad dressing is fattening. There are however no fat, no calorie options that can leave your salad moist and full of flavor!
What Salad Dressing Is Made Of.
I am sure you have noticed that there are differences in salad dressing types. Generally speaking, salad dressing is made of oil, vinegar, and or cream products. Oil and anything made with cream is fattening. You can have fat free versions of salad dressing. All of these dressings contain calories though, some with more then others. These calories are turned in to fat within the body if the person consuming the calories isn't burning all of them off. These are also empty calories since the only benefits we get of consuming these calories is flavor.
Over Use.
Additionally, we often use a lot more dressing then a single serving. We like the moisture, texture, and flavor that salad dressing provides and as such, we make sure our salad is thoroughly covered. Some of us even make sure it is thoroughly swimming in dressing. A serving size of dressing is two table spoons which isn't much and makes it difficult to cover a salad of any size.
Choices.
If you are working to cut back on calories, try using less dressing and pick a fat free version. Before choosing the dressing, read the bottle and choose one with as few of calories per serving as possible, but make sure the serving sizes are the same so that you aren't just buying one with a smaller serving size.
Add a dab of water to your dressing. While this may seem odd, it will let the salad dressing go farther. Your flavor and moisture will cover more lettuce with less dressing. This technique is particularly useful for thick creamy dressings.
There are many options for skipping out on the dressing and finding lower calorie alternatives. Using lemon juice mix with a dash of water and season it with a salt free seasoning mix. This can make for a tasty and moist alternative with very few calories. You can do the same thing with a fancy seasoned vinegar, leaving you with no calories. If you frequently eat out, you can even toss a small supply of seasoning in your purse. Ask for lemon juice or wedges and toss with your salad and seasoning instead of dressing.
Just because dressing is always fattening, doesn't mean you have to worry about it. As long as you are counting on those calories being a part of your diet you can consume them without fear. Or you can use one of the many alternatives to consuming less dressing with less fat and calories, or even a tasty dressing alternative.
Learn more about this author, Danelle Karth.
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No
Absolutely not! Salad dressing has long been portrayed as the evil condiment at the salad bar that can instantly transform a healthy meal into one laden with calories and fat. If you've ever read a health article on choosing the right ingredients at a salad bar, most likely it instructed you to limit yourself to the standard serving size of two tablespoons, or to choose a light variety, or to place the dressing on the side where you can use it as a dip for your fork before skewing the salad.
But it's time that we stopped giving salad dressing a bad rap. It's only fattening or high in calories if you're drowning your veggies with a traditional, creamy variety. Many food manufacturers are now producing flavorful, healthy dressings that are light years away from the fat substitutes of grocery shelves past. I also know how to make two dressings (one thick and creamy, the other light and vinegar-based) that are low fat and low in calories, but still pack a lot of flavor, which means I don't have to use a lot to get a great tasting salad.
I make my own Thousand Island dressing using low fat mayonnaise, finely chopped tomato salsa, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, and a bit of green onions or scallions, along with salt and pepper to taste. This one coats traditional crunchy salads made of iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and other vegetables well. I also make a simple balsamic vinegar dressing using equal parts balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and a little bit of honey or brown sugar to enhance the vinegar's sweetness. This one pairs nicely with a spinach or mixed greens based salad.
Colin Cowie also introduced readers of O Magazine to his basic vinaigrette recipe, which is healthy and can be enhanced with additional ingredients for various uses. The basic recipe consists of one-quarter cup of white wine vinegar, one tablespoon Dijon mustard, one tablespoon chopped shallots, one-quarter teaspoon salt, one-quarter teaspoon black pepper, and one cup of olive oil. Notice the absence of anything rich and creamy.
Several cooking magazines are great sources for healthy salad dressings, including Cooking Light, Gourmet, and Bon Appetite. Don't want to make your own? At the supermarket, look for varieties that indicate "light" or "low fat" on the label or ones that are vinegar or mustard based with a healthy oil, such as olive oil. They're not difficult to find; tons of food manufacturers have become aware of the consumer need for healthy salad dressing. Paul Newman's food company called Newman's Own makes a delicious honey mustard salad dressing with only 70 calories and four grams of fat per each serving of two tablespoons.
All of this is proof that salad dressing is not always bad for you. Just be aware of choosing the right kind and using the correct portions.
Learn more about this author, Pamela Sosnowski.
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