Your Guide to Healthy Dressings and Sauces

What’s in your dressing and sauces?

When it comes to dressings and sauces which ones are the best? You can make a delicious, healthy, balanced meal and then add a dressing or sauce that may taste delicious, but is filled with not-so-healthy ingredients. Thus, partly sabotaging your health efforts.

Of course taste is important, but you don’t have to forego flavor for health. You can have both!

Many dressings and sauces are loaded with inflammatory ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, genetically modified soy, artificial sweeteners, and certain preservatives. Poor quality ingredients often rely on artificial enhancements, compromising both taste and health.

Making informed choices in your kitchen can turn everyday meals into extraordinary tasty food AND healthy choices.

As a dietitian, I frequently get questions about which dressings and sauces are the best. So, I have compiled a resource for you to double check your favorites and see where they stack up. I created three categories of criteria

Your guide to dressings and sauces: What to look for

GOOD

To be considered in the “good” category, make sure all of the following criteria is met:

  • Less than 5 grams of added sugar
  • No artificial sweeteners
  • No corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup
  • Whole food ingredients
  • Organic and Non-GMO

OK

These include one or more of the following:

  • Between 5-10 grams of added sugar
  • No artificial sweeteners
  • No corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup
  • May have gums/fillers

NOT GREAT

These include one or more of the following:

  • Greater than 10 grams of added sugar and/or contains artificial sweeteners
  • Contains corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup
  • Includes gums/fillers
  • Contains genetically modified ingredients, not organic
Ranch dressing
ceasar dressing
Italian Dressing
Vinaigrette Dressing
Barbecue Sauce
Soy Sauce

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