Furtive Food Additives they are everywhere in our food system, and condiments They are one of the biggest culprits. If you’re monitoring your blood sugar, you’ll want to check your dressings for high amounts of added sugars, carbs, and unhealthy fats.
Checking nutrition labels is one of the easiest ways to spot added sugars in your diet. New updated nutrition labels now make it easier than ever with a “added sugar” line in the nutrition facts to figure out exactly how much sugar occurs naturally versus added.
The 2022 Dietary Guidelines They suggest that added sugars should only be a small part of our diet, with up to 24 grams per day for women and 36 grams per day for men. If you were to divide the total amount of added sugar by food, it would be about 8 to 12 grams of added sugar or less per food.
Over the course of the day, this equates to around 100 to 150 calories per day from added sugars. With items like salad dressing, which often comes with sugar, sodium, and oil to make it taste more delicious, these calories can add up quickly.
In moderation, all types of salad dressings and condiments can fit into your health goals, but be sure to pay attention to portion sizes, consider making your own salad dressing at home where you can control the ingredients, or look for options that are low in added sugar
Here are five salad dressings dietitians say you might want to reconsider if you’re managing your blood sugar levels. And for more tips on managing your blood sugar, check out The 4 worst condiments for blood sugar.
for 2 tablespoons: 110 calories, 9 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 300 mg sodium, 5 g carbs (0 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 1 g protein
This dressing seems healthy at first glance with its versatile use in many different types of dishes. However, Italian dressing is often just as high in sugar and fat as other types, such as honey or French mustard.
Consider making your own Italian dressing at home with a simple mix of olive oil, vinegar, and Italian spices. At home, you can control the amount of sugar and sodium in your dressing, as well as the type of healthy fat you choose. I love olive oil or avocado oil for homemade salad dressing recipe that is also healthy for blood sugar!
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for 2 tablespoons: 130 calories, 11 g fat (2 g saturated), 140 mg sodium, 6 g carbs (0 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 0 g protein
Although this dressing may give you a nostalgic feeling, it’s not doing your blood sugar any favors. This kids’ favorite is often packed with fats and sugars that can keep your blood sugar high long after you eat.
The fat in the dressing slows down digestion and can prolong high blood sugar levels if eaten with other carbohydrate-rich foods. for example in Ken’s Steak House Honey Mustard, a two-tablespoon serving contains 11 grams of fat and 6 grams of added sugar. As a serving size reference, 2 tablespoons is about the size of a ping pong ball.
So when you consider how many servings you’re using at a meal, it can be more than two or three times the recommended amount.
for 2 tablespoons: 60 calories, 3.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 125 mg sodium, 8 g carbs (0 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 0 g protein
Here’s an example of healthy-looking products that may have some tricky sugars. Kathryn Bonilla Strickland, RDN, the plant-focused dietitian tells us, “This salad dressing is organic with no synthetic colors, artificial flavors, or artificial preservatives.” She continues: “However, it contains 8 grams of added sugar in a two-tablespoon serving. Don’t let an organic label fool you into thinking a salad dressing is healthy and low in sugar for a person with diabetes.”
for 1 slice: 100 calories, 6 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 240 mg sodium, 11 g carbs (0 g fiber, 10 g sugar), 0 g protein
Light or diet products do not always mean that the product is low in sugar, fat or calories. This product is a great example of how sometimes removing the oil from the product to make it lighter means the company can add other ingredients back in for flavor. In this case with Ken’s Light Country French Steak Housethey increased the sugar content after removing the fat.
Morgana G Sciaudone, RDN LDNfounder of Nutrition with Morgaine LLC, explains, “This is another great example of how important it is to read the nutrition facts panel. Although Ken’s Lite Country French is marketed as ‘Lite,’ it is not the most nutritious option.”
She states: “The first and foremost ingredient in this dressing is sugar. There are 10 grams of added sugar per serving! That’s almost half of our daily limits for added sugar and that’s if you stick to the size of the serving.” two-tablespoon serving.
for 1 slice: 100 calories, 7 g fat (0 g saturated), 310 mg sodium, 11 g carbs (0 g fiber, 9 g sugar), 0 g protein
brianna’s dressings It may sound healthy, but a dietician offers a warning. She reminds us that added sugars can directly affect blood sugar and cause high blood glucose levels after eating.
Anya Rosen, MS, RD, LD, IFNCP, CPT explains why she warns against Brianna’s salad dressing: “Salad dressings with added sugars can contribute to a blood sugar spike. Brianna’s dressings are sweetened with honey. I recommend looking for no added sugar on the label.”
This isn’t to say you can never eat these salad dressings, but dressings with higher levels of added sugar can cause your blood sugar to spike rapidly, which can be a problem for those who need to monitor their levels. So if you want to enjoy these, just be sure to watch your portion sizes. Or try making your own at home so you can control the amount of sugar yourself.
