The Well-Dressed Salad

The ancient Egyptians were happy with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar on their vegetables. In mid-20th century America, French, Blue (bleu) cheese, and Thousand Island salad dressings were all the rage. These days, salad dressings fill almost half a grocery store aisle with a diverse array of creations that pair traditional flavors with a modern twist, such as Asiago garlic, wasabi Dijon, and pomegranate balsamic. But how do these salad dressings impact the nutritional value of your salad greens?

Beware the Salt, Sugar, and Additives

Most salad dressings are based on high-fat ingredients (typically oil or mayonnaise), meaning that many contain a substantial amount of fat. During our fat-bashing era (not so long ago), a variety of “light” and fat-free dressings were introduced. But there are a few problems with some of these options: Typically, more sugar and/or salt were added to make up for the missing fat, and extra ingredients in the form of stabilizers, thickeners, and artificial flavorings were added to improve the consistency that was lost along with the fat. More importantly, eliminating fat from salad dressing may decrease the amount of nutrients your body absorbs when you eat a salad: Many vegetables, including salad greens and carrots, are great sources of fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and K, which are best absorbed when eaten with some fat.

Fat: It’s the Quality That Counts

Nutrition experts no longer advise cutting back on fat; instead, they emphasize the importance of consuming healthy, unsaturated fats from plant-based foods. Sources of healthy fats include olive, canola, and other vegetable oils. If you’d rather avoid foods that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), check the dressing’s label for a seal that says “Non GMO” or “GMO free”: Many salad dressings made in America use corn, soybean, canola, and other oils sourced from plants that contain GMOs.

Helpful Hints

When deciding how to top your bowl of greens, keep the following in mind.

• Don’t go overboard. A serving of salad dressing—2 tablespoons—can seem small. To make the most of it, serve it on the side and dip forkfuls of salad into it. This way, you get a little taste of dressing with each bite, but your vegetables aren’t drowning in it.
• Compare brands. Typically, we think of vinaigrettes as healthier than cream-based dressings, but this can vary. One of the brands on our Supermarket Sleuth list offers a creamy, cheesy dressing with less fat and fewer calories than its vinegar-based Italian counterpart.
• Watch the salt. There are plenty of dressings that are low in sodium, but just as many with about the same amount of sodium as one-and-a-half large servings of fast-food French fries. Check the Nutrition Facts panel to be sure your choices don’t go overboard on sodium; aim to keep sodium below 280 milligrams per serving.
• Make your own. Combine two tablespoons of olive oil, one tablespoon of red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper for a basic vinaigrette. To boost flavor, add one-quarter teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a squeeze of lemon juice, a sprinkle of your favorite herbs, or some granulated garlic. For variety, experiment with different vinegars: balsamic, apple cider, champagne, rice, and herb-infused vinegars will each bring a different twist to your salad.

Fortunately, there are so many salad dressings, it’s possible to enjoy a veggie-filled salad topped with a delicious dressing, as long as you choose wisely. Let our Supermarket Sleuth picks guide you to the best choices. 

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