The past few months I have become a big fan of salads. Coming from the girl who used to gag on lettuce, this is a big deal to me. I’m thrilled that I can finally stand the watery taste of lettuce, and proudly tell people in a haughty voice, “Yes, I had a salad for lunch today.” Okay, maybe I don’t take it that far, because I know that the salads I eat are anything but healthy. See, I like cheese. And croutons. And dressing. My salads look like this: a few pieces of lettuce scattered about, a cup of cheese, two cups of croutons (got to have at least two in every bite!) and then four cups of dressing – preferably ranch. So. That is not a good salad. I have realized this. I know I need to do better. I’ve tried incorporating chicken and steak into my salads. That’s pretty good. I’ve tried cutting back on the croutons. That makes me sad. I’ve even looked into getting rid of the ranch dressing and switching to caesar. That’s where I got confused. Which dressing is better for me?
I did some research online to try to understand which container I should grab for. The following facts were received from nutritiondata.self.com, a nifty site that breaks down the nutritional labels. For ranch, I was looking at reduced fat ranch dressing, and for caesar I was looking at the low calorie dressing. Both are based off a serving size of one tablespoon. Here were my findings:
Ranch Caesar
Calories- 29 Calories- 16
Total Fat- 2g Total Fat- 1g
Cholesterol- 2 mg Cholesterol- 0
Sodium- 136 mg Sodium-162mg
Total Carbohydrate- 3g Total Carbohydrate- 3g
Sugars- 1g Sugars- 2g
What did I learn? Well, ranch has more calories, but caesar has more sodium and sugar. I’m not sure how to draw a conclusive answer from comparing these dressings. I guess my decision will be to try to lessen all the bad stuff (that I love so much) on my salads. Which means less cheese, croutons, and dressing, and I’ll try to beef up on the lettuce and even hide some spinach in there.
Do you have a specific salad that you love? What are you go-to ingredients?
Nutritional information found at nutritiondata.self.com
FAQs
Which dressing is better for me? What did I learn? Well, ranch has more calories, but caesar has more sodium and sugar.
Does Caesar or ranch have less calories? ›
Ranch dressing: 129 calories. Blue cheese dressing: 145 calories. Thousand Island dressing: 114 calories. Caesar dressing: 163 calories.
What dressing is better than ranch? ›
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.
Is light ranch dressing good? ›
A traditional favorite made with 60% fewer calories than regular ranch, this dressing tastes as delicious as ever! A great staple dressing to pair with all of your favorite meals. Great taste with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Tasty Tip: Try a Turkey Club lettuce wrap on-the-go!
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.
Simple balsamic vinaigrette. Balsamic vinegar is full of flavour and olive oil is full of unsaturated fats which, when consumed in moderation, are good for your heart health.
What is the number 1 salad dressing? ›
Ranch Dressing
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.
Is a caesar salad healthy? ›
The bottom line. A classic Caesar salad can fit into any healthy eating plan, but modifications to make it more nutritious may be a good idea if you eat them often. Choose a salad dressing that's low in saturated fat and sodium and consider using a 1-tablespoon (14-gram) serving.
Why is ranch the best dressing? ›
Anyone who's ever tasted ranch dressing can recognize its unique flavor profile anywhere. This creamy condiment's delicious mix of herbs and buttermilk gives it a distinctly tangy but fresh taste that brings life to salad, french fries, pizza, chicken wings, and anything else you can think of to dunk in it!
What is the best light ranch? ›
Marzetti Simply 60 Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Marzetti's light version is our favorite in the low-cal category. Unlike others in its class, it isn't overly sweet, salty or gloppy. It's nicely balanced with less than half the calories of the original.
Dressings like Thousand Island and ranch are cream-based and may be high in cholesterol. Using avocado is a great way to have a creamy salad dressing without the saturated fats derived from animal products. Vinaigrette-based salad dressings use vinegar and oils.
What is the main flavor in ranch dressing? ›
It's a combination of creaminess (from buttermilk, sour cream, sometimes mayonnaise) and herbaceousness (often parsley, thyme, dill), plus a long pull of allium (onion and garlic) and a shot of black pepper.
Why is Caesar salad the best? ›
Crisp and crunchy, delightfully creamy, if there's one thing we can say is "it's a good salad". Deceptively simple in both style and substance, the Caesar salad can be found on restaurant menus around the world.
Is Italian dressing healthier than ranch? ›
Lower-Calorie Alternative to Creamy Dressings
Italian dressing makes a better alternative than many other higher-calorie options. It adds taste to salad and offers good fat. Though many calories come from fats, it is better than primarily cream-based dressings like ranch, a thousand island, or blue cheese.
The past few months I have become a big fan of salads. Coming from the girl who used to gag on lettuce, this is a big deal to me. I’m thrilled that I can finally stand the watery taste of lettuce, and proudly tell people in a haughty voice, “Yes, I had a salad for lunch today.” Okay, maybe I don’t take it that far, because I know that the salads I eat are anything but healthy. See, I like cheese. And croutons. And dressing. My salads look like this: a few pieces of lettuce scattered about, a cup of cheese, two cups of croutons (got to have at least two in every bite!) and then four cups of dressing – preferably ranch. So. That is not a good salad. I have realized this. I know I need to do better. I’ve tried incorporating chicken and steak into my salads. That’s pretty good. I’ve tried cutting back on the croutons. That makes me sad. I’ve even looked into getting rid of the ranch dressing and switching to caesar. That’s where I got confused. Which dressing is better for me?
What did I learn? Well, ranch has more calories, but caesar has more sodium and sugar. I’m not sure how to draw a conclusive answer from comparing these dressings. I guess my decision will be to try to lessen all the bad stuff (that I love so much) on my salads. Which means less cheese, croutons, and dressing, and I’ll try to beef up on the lettuce and even hide some spinach in there.