Healthy Salad Dressing for Diabetes

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A while back we shared a post on Facebook about including various combos of salads in your menu. We received lots of questions about what are some suitable store-bought dressings?

This is not an exhaustive list but we hope it gives you some inspiration to enjoy more tasty salads.

Store-Bought Carb-Savvy Salad Dressings:

When comparing store-bought salad dressings, a general tip is to choose full fat dressing over “low fat” or “fat free” options. Dressings advertised as “low fat” tend to be higher in carbs and added sugars and may contain more additives and preservatives.

When in doubt, try to choose a dressing with around 2 grams of carbohydrates or less per serve (most dressings are 20mL per serve).

Here is a list of low carb dressing options that you can find at your local supermarket:

The above list doesn’t include all the suitable options available, but at least it gives you a great starting point!

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise can be used as a part of a creamy salad dressing, or can even be used on its own; just be sure to steer clear of mayos that claim to be “fat free” and “low fat.” Similarly to other salad dressings, the manufacturer simply replaces the natural fats with extra sugar in order to maintain good flavour.

Some “low fat” options can have up to 5 grams of processed sugars per serving. If you’re going to enjoy some mayonnaise, go all the way and choose full-fat, and be sure to double check the nutrition facts before you buy!

There are two good mayonnaise options listed on the chart above. 

Tips for Buying Salad Dressings

Besides the carbs and added sugars, there are two other things to consider when picking out a salad dressing: the quality of the ingredients and the price of the item.

You’ll want to keep an eye out for cheap oils such as corn, soy, or mixed vegetable oils – these are best minimised, although sometimes can’t be avoided. 

Oils that have a more positive affect on your body tend to be higher in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, such as: avocado oil and olive oil.

Now, let’s talk about price.

There is definitely a balance to be struck between the quality of a dressing and the price. 

As far as most foods (including dressings) are concerned, in-store brands are going to stretch your dollar farther than name brands will.

For example, let’s compare two Caesar dressings from our chart above. 

A bottle of name brand Caesar, like Newman’s Own, runs upwards of 4 dollars while you can get a generic Caesar dressing from the Cole’s store brand for less than half that price. 

With that said, another affordable way to get your hands on some tasty salad dressing is to simply make it yourself!

Make Your Own Salad Dressing At Home

Nothing beats the convenience of buying a pre-made dressing right off the store shelf, but there are also quick and easy ways to make your own tasty salad dressings at home.

Here are two simple formulas to follow, depending on whether you want to make a creamy or vinaigrette dressing:

For a creamy dressing: combine 1 part creamy base + 1 part liquid (such as an acid or water) + 1 part flavours/herbs/spices.

For vinaigrette dressings: combine 3 parts oil + 1 part acid + 1 part flavours/herbs/spices.

Best oils for homemade dressings:

Look for extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, or macadamia nut oil. These oils are rich in flavour and offer many health benefits.

Try these creamy bases:

Use mayonnaise, egg yolks, sour cream, unsweetened yoghurt, or avocado as a base for a creamier, heartier salad dressing.

Popular acids:

Try lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, or red, white, or balsamic vinegar. Used correctly, an acid will give you that “tang” you expect from a delicious salad dressing.

Extra flavours to choose from:

Experiment with ginger, garlic, Dijon mustard, chilli pepper flakes, salt, pepper, oregano, mint, basil, thyme, or spring onions. You can turn up the sweetness with naturally low-carb sweeteners such as stevia, erythritol, or monk fruit.

This short list doesn’t even cover it all, but it’s a great place to start for beginners. When it comes to flavours, the sky really is the limit!

Try new flavour combinations and see what pleases your palate.