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3 Salad Dressings No One Should Be Eating Anymore Because They Spike Your Blood Sugar
Aug
Salads make some of the healthiest meals around, especially for those of us who are trying to slim down. After all, what’s healthier than a big bowl of nutrient-rich vegetables? However, it’s important to that the health benefits of those veggies can easily be negated if you add the wrong ingredients to the mix. From copious amounts of croutons to fattening dressings, there are a number of toppings you should avoid adding to your bowl if weight loss is your goal.
In fact, many popular dressings could be holding you back from achieving your dream body; this is especially true when it comes to sweet varieties. Consuming all of that sugar can result in a range of health issues, including blood sugar spikes and weight gain.
To discover a few of the worst sugary salad dressings that could take a toll on your health, we spoke to nutritionist Elizabeth Keller, MS, CNS, ACSM-PT from Well Choices. She told us that honey mustard dressing, thousand island dressing, and raspberry vinaigrette are among the worst offenders. Read on to learn about the risks of each!
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1. Honey Mustard Dressing
If honey mustard is your condiment of choice, you may love a good honey mustard dressing. Unfortunately, this dressing usually isn’t the best choice for your health.
“While honey mustard dressing may be flavorful, it often contains high amounts of both honey and added sugars,” Keller warns. “Honey is a natural sweetener, but it can still cause significant blood sugar spikes, especially when combined with other sweeteners.”
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2. Thousand Island Dressing
Creamy salad dressings like Caesar and Ranch are another major culprit of weight gain. And when you consider the sugar content of Thousand Island, this particular creamy choice is especially bad for your fitness goals.
“Thousand Island dressing typically contains a combination of ketchup, mayonnaise, and sweet relish, all of which contribute to its high sugar content,” Keller tells us.” The mix of sugars from these ingredients can lead to blood sugar spikes.” Over time, those blood sugar spikes can result in a range of issues, including problems with your heart and kidneys, weight gain, and more.
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3. Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing
Who doesn’t love a tasty poppy seed dressing? We’re definitely guilty of adding this option to our salads. But the sad truth is that the rest of your body won’t love this sweet dressing as much as your taste buds do.
“This dressing may be tasty on salads, but it often contains large amounts of sugar or even high-fructose corn syrup, leading to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels,” Keller notes. High-fructose corn syrup is one of the worst processed ingredients out there, so cutting back on dressings with a high amount of it is one important step to take as you work towards your goal weight.
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What to use instead
Does all of this mean you have to eat a dry salad? Absolutely not! There are plenty of healthy, low-sugar dressings to choose from. Keller recommends options like an olive oil vinaigrette (which is a great source of healthy fats), lemon-tahini dressing, or a Greek yogurt-based option for those who like something a little creamier. By making these smart swaps, you’ll be one step closer to a healthier body.
