Bottled salad dressing is an easy and convenient way to liven up basic greens and veggies into a culinary delight. However, some of the more delicious store-bought salad dressings aren’t very good for you, even if they are labeled “organic,” “natural,” or “low-sugar.” We asked Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies, why some of the most unhealthy salad dressings might not be the best for your health. Here are 6 bottled salad dressings experts say you should avoid.
Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing
Target
Per 2 tbsp: 80 calories, 8g fat (1.5g sat), 540mg sodium, 2g sugar
Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing might not be the highest in calories, but the popular item is a sodium bomb with ultra-processed oils. This one adds up fast with soybean oil as the first ingredient and over 500mg sodium per serving. Collingwood explains that unhealthy fats are a big reason why bottled salad dressings aren’t healthy. “Soybean oil, canola oil, and other refined vegetable oils are common and cheap,’ she says. “These oils are often high in omega-6 fatty acids, which in excess can contribute to inflammation.”
Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing
Hidden Valley
Per 2 tbsp: 130 calories, 14g fat (2g sat), 260mg sodium, 1g sugar
Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dressing is a creamy favorite, loaded with fat from low-quality oils. Just two tablespoons can rival the calories in a fast-food side dish—and light versions don’t offer much improvement.
Marie’s Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
Walmart
Per 2 tbsp: 160 calories, 17g fat (3g sat), 270mg sodium, <1g sugar
Heavy and rich, this blue cheese dressing is dense with saturated fat. One small serving contains nearly a quarter of your daily saturated fat limit. Collingwood says to look out for sodium in bottled dressing. “Some dressings have 300–500 mg of sodium per 2 Tbsp — that adds up quickly if you’re eating salad often,” she says.
Ken’s Steakhouse Country French with Honey
Ken’s
Per 2 tbsp: 140 calories, 12g fat (2g sat), 6g sugar, 260mg sodium
Ken’s Steakhouse Country French with Honey sounds like a tangy vinaigrette, but this bottle hides a hefty dose of sugar. It is sweetened with both corn syrup and honey, crossing the line into dessert territory. “Many dressings (even ‘light’ or ‘low-fat’ versions) have added sugars to improve taste,” says Collingwood. Look out for sugar in the following forms: High-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, honey (“even though it’s natural it still has a lot of sugar,” she says), and Maltodextrin.
Jimmy’s Original Sweet & Sour Dressing
Instacart/instagram
Per 2 tbsp: 130 calories, 10g fat (1.5g sat), 11g sugar, 160mg sodium
This dressing has nearly 3 teaspoons of sugar in every serving—more than many desserts. It also uses refined oils and preservatives for a sweet but nutritionally weak profile. Collingwood says to look out for artificial additive, including “preservatives like sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate, emulsifiers like xanthan gum or propylene glycol, and artificial colors/flavors.”
Brianna’s Home Style Poppy Seed Dressing
Target
Per 2 tbsp: 140 calories, 11g fat, 10g sugar, 35mg sodium
Brianna’s Home Style Poppy Seed Dressing may look wholesome, but this bottle packs dessert-level sugar into your salad. With 10g sugar and minimal nutrients, it’s the worst offender—especially for something marketed as “natural.” Collingwood also warns against any dressings with the “low-fat” trap. “Fat is removed, but sugar and starches are added for flavor and texture,” she says.
