In the present times, healthy eating is the need of the hour, isn’t it? Especially in this twin year of 2020 when the entire world is battling the spread of the novel coronavirus, eating right and shedding those extra kilos is vital. The vaccines for the Covid-19 aren’t available yet and according to health experts, the only way to beat this virus is by keeping our immunity game strong. And this is achievable only when we are eating healthy and maintain an ideal weight.
What’s the first food dish that comes to your mind when we say “healthy foods”? Salads! Yes, it is believed by many that salads form the basic foundation of clean and healthy eating. This is because salads are considered to be great sources of protein, fiber, nutrients, and healthy fats. Eating salads for your meals will keep your tummy and taste buds satisfied, you are eating fewer calories, and you’re walking towards weight loss as well. There is one key factor when it comes to making a healthy salad not many of us pay heed to—the salad dressing! If you use the wrong ingredients for your salad dressing (for example mayonnaise) and choose wrong toppings for your salad (for example croutons), your salad could become equally worse like a cheeseburger. Nope, we aren’t kidding here. Here are a few things you need to know about salad dressings, read on.
What Science Has To Say About Salad Dressing
Many lookouts need to be taken care of to make a healthy salad dressing for your meals. Here are a few of them:
- Fats Are Very Filling: Many opt out of salads because they complain that they feel hungry sooner after eating salad for their meals. They say that salads don’t make them feel full and it leaves them craving for more. This is true, but this can also be avoided! It’s certainly very hard to lose weight if you keep on feeling hungry, right? The solution to this problem is to include healthy fats in your dressings. Choose a dressing for your salad that has healthy fats like for example, olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
- Too Much Of Sugar Is A No-No: If you are someone who opts for super-sweet salad dressings then we have got to tell you that it’s best if you override this preference. Most of us end up eating more than the recommended amount of sugar for a day which is six teaspoons. Few of the dressings available in the market have almost two servings of sugar is just one serving of theirs. This can leave a negative impact on the insulin resistance of the body and can lead to heavyweight gain as well. Therefore pick a salad dressing that doesn’t have much sugar content in them.
- The Vinegar Myth: Using when vinegar for a salad dressing is what gives that acidic element to the salad. Also, vinegar is extremely low in calories as well—you have only five calories per tablespoon. While vinegar has proved to be effective for weight loss in many cases, it still isn’t considered to be a magical elixir to lose weight. Therefore, it’s okay to use a vinaigrette dressing for your salads but don’t consider it as a guaranteed weight loss formula.
List Of Seven Healthy And Simple Salad Dressing That You Can Make At Home
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
If you are looking for a salad dressing with a minimal amount of ingredients and something that you can stir up in a pinch, then balsamic vinaigrette should be your go-to salad dressing. The flavor of this salad dressing is sweet and savory which makes it a versatile choice of salad dressing.
Ingredients:
- Balsamic vinegar (3 tablespoons)
- Dijon mustard (1 tablespoon)
- Garlic (1 minced)
- Olive oil (1/2 cup)
- Pepper and salt
Directions To Make:
- Combine the Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, and garlic.
- Slowly stir in the olive oil.
- Season with pepper and salt just before serving.
Nutritional facts for 2 tablespoons:
- Calories: 16
- Carbs: 1gm
- Fats: 18gm
- Proteins: 0
- Sesame Ginger
This is one of a kind salad dressing that can double up as a marinade for your meat or roasted veggies.
Ingredients:
- Soy sauce (1 tablespoon)
- Olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- Sesame oil (1 tablespoon)
- Rice vinegar (1 tablespoon)
- Maple syrup (1 tablespoon)
- Minced garlic (1 clove)
- Minced ginger (1 teaspoon)
Directions To Make:
- Whisk together the majority of the ingredients like soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, maple syrup, and rice vinegar.
- Next, add the minced ginger and garlic and give it a final mix.
Nutritional facts for 2 tablespoons:
- Calories: 54
- Carbs: 3.5gm
- Fats: 4.5gm
- Proteins: 0.2gm
- Lemon Vinaigrette
This tart yet tasty choice for a salad dressing will brighten up the flavors of your salads in a jiffy. If you like your salads to have that extra zing with a zesty flavor then this one is for you.
Ingredients:
- Olive oil (1/4 cup)
- Maple syrup or honey (1 teaspoon)
- Lemon juice (1/4 cup)
- Pepper and salt
Directions To Make:
- Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice.
- For the sweetness add honey or maple syrup.
- Lastly, season it with some pepper and salt.
Nutritional facts for 2 tablespoons:
- Calories: 128
- Carbs: 3gm
- Fats: 13.5gm
- Proteins: 0gm
- Avocado Lime
This salad dressing is cool, fresh, and creamy. It also works as a great dip. And who doesn’t know that avocado is known for its heart-healthy fats that are which are mono-unsaturated and also boosts the good cholesterol levels of the body.
Ingredients:
- Avocado (1 number)
- Lime juice (1/3 cup)
- Cilantro (1/3 cup)
- Greek yogurt (1/2 cup)
- Olive oil (4 tablespoons)
- Minced garlic (2 cloves)
- Pepper and salt
Directions To Make:
- Mix in all the ingredients into a food processor to obtain a nice and smooth mixture.
- Add some salt and pepper and give it one final pulse to obtain a silky texture.
Nutritional facts for 2 tablespoons:
- Calories: 75
- Carbs: 2.5gm
- Fats: 7gm
- Proteins: 1gm
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette
This is a very tangy and light salad dressing that will work best if you are including a lot of arugula or kale in your salads. Many opt for this salad dressing as apple cider vinegar is considered to be a superfood ingredient that poses many health benefits. It is known to help lower the triglyceride levels of the body along with the sugar levels.
Ingredients:
- Apple cider vinegar (1/4 cup)
- Olive oil (1/3 cup)
- Dijon mustard (1 tablespoon)
- Lemon juice (1 tablespoon)
- Honey (1 teaspoon)
- Salt and pepper
Directions To Make:
- Combine the apple cider vinegar and olive first.
- Then add the rest of the ingredients and give it a final mix.
Nutritional facts for 2 tablespoons:
- Calories: 113
- Carbs: 1gm
- Fats: 12gm
- Proteins: 0gm
- Honey Mustard
This is another option if you like creamy salad dressing for your savory salads. It can also be used as a dip for your fries, wedges, roasted veggies, or appetizers.
Ingredients:
- Dijon mustard (1/3 cup)
- Honey (1/3 cup)
- Olive oil (1/3 cup)
- Apple cider vinegar (1/3 cup)
- Salt and pepper
Directions To Make:
- Whisk together apple cider vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard.
- Next, add olive oil slowly by stirring.
- Season it with salt and pepper.
Nutritional facts for 2 tablespoons:
- Calories: 142
- Carbs: 13.5gm
- Fats: 9gm
- Proteins: 0gm
Read: How To Use Honey For Weight Loss
- Greek Yogurt Ranch
This is considered as one of the most versatile, ranch, creamy dressing. It works excellently as a dip as well.
Ingredients:
- Greek yogurt (1 cup)
- Onion powder (1/2 teaspoon)
- Garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon)
- Dried dill (1/2 teaspoon)
- Chopped chives (optional)
- Cayenne pepper (a dash)
- Salt
Directions To Make:
- Stir together the greek yogurt, onion and garlic powder, and dried dill.
- Then season it with salt and add the cayenne pepper.
- Garnish it off with chives.
Nutritional facts for 2 tablespoons:
- Calories: 29
- Carbs: 2gm
- Fats: 2gm
- Proteins: 1gm
It’s always a good idea to make homemade dressings instead of opting for the store-bought ones. Making your salad dressing empowers you with control over the sodium, sugar, and also other health benefits.
