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This roundup of healthy diabetes-friendly salad dressings has everything you need to shake up your salad routine! Add delicious flavor while keeping things low carb.
To dress or not to dress?
We’re talking about salad dressings, of course!
You’ve probably heard that choosing the wrong dressing can add unwanted sugar, fat, carbs, or calories to a well-intentioned bowl of greens. But the right salad dressing can really make your meal pop with flavor and keep you coming back for more.
The trick is to find a dressing that matches your health goals while making your salad irresistibly tasty! Because let’s face it: no one wants to eat a boring salad.
In fact, trying new salad dressings is a great way to shake up your salad routine. To keep things diabetes-friendly, I recommend choosing one that’s lower in carbs and won’t cause a spike in your blood sugar.
Or, better yet, make your own right at home. It’s easier than you think, and you can have complete control over all of your ingredients. After that, you can dress to your heart’s content!
Whether you prefer creamy dressings, tangy vinaigrettes, or a little bit of both, this list of 10 healthy salad dressing recipes has something for everyone!
With so many flavors to try, salads may become the most exciting thing on your menu.
This tasty Keto Ranch Dressing is easy to make, super fresh and flavorful, and doesn’t have any of the sugar or junk you find in the store-bought version!
This tasty Greek vinaigrette is easy to make and perfect for dipping raw vegetables, dressing a leafy green salad, or even marinating chicken breast or pork loin!
This avocado Caesar dressing has all the flavor of a classic Caesar dressing, but without all the fat and calories, AND the added bonus of delicious avocado!
Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing is a superfood dressing packed with delightful flavors. This fresh and vibrant vegan sauce is super easy to make in less than 5 minutes.
Calories: 78 Carbs: 4g Protein: 1g Fat: 7g
The hardest part is picking which one to try first. Once you do, make sure to let us know what you think in the comments below!
Diabetes-friendly store-bought brands
I love making my own dressings so I have complete control over my ingredients. That being said, there are a few store-bought brands that I enjoy because they use clean ingredients, have no added sugars, and give my salad an amazing pop of flavor.
If you’re looking to purchase some pre-made salad dressing, here are a few I recommend:
Eating healthy is so much easier when I’m looking forward to my menu. That’s why I’m always keeping an eye out for new and exciting recipes to keep things fresh!
If you’re looking for some fun and tasty inspiration, these roundups have plenty of ideas I know you’ll enjoy:
Choose dressings made with avocado oil, olive oil or vegetable oils like canola, sunflower and safflower. But stay away from dressing that's high in saturated fat, which can lead to inflammation and chronic illness, possibly making your diabetes harder to control.
Watch out for super-creamy dressings such as ranch and bleu cheese — the ADA lists these as foods to avoid — and limit your intake of low-fat creamy dressings, such as light ranch, to occasional treats.
Yes, we're talking about oil and vinegar. More specifically, extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) and apple cider or red wine vinegar. “Olive oil and vinegar dressing offers the most potential benefit for those with prediabetes or diabetes,” notes integrative medicine physician Irina Todorov, MD.
Balsamic is one of several types of vinegar thought to limit spikes in blood glucose levels. One study suggests that, if taken in moderation prior to eating, vinegar can help people with type 2 diabetes better manage their blood sugar.
#1: Drizzling your salad greens with a high quality oil (extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, or if you're feeling fancy, toasted walnut oil), and toss thoroughly. ...
The best part is that by opting for this low-carb salad dressing, you're avoiding other carb-heavy, store-bought versions. Most olive oil-and-vinegar dressings have zero net carbs, which is why they're recommended for followers of the keto diet.
Adding dressing, condiments, or cheese will not remove vegetable nutrients. Adding those extra ingredients to your vegetables will not give them less fiber or less vitamins. By adding cheese to your vegetables, you'll add some protein to it, which will help make them more satisfying.
Individuals with diabetes need foods that can help manage blood sugar and weight. Peanuts and peanut butter can be a powerful ally to reaching success. Peanuts and peanut butter have a low glycemic index, which means they don't cause blood sugar to rise sharply.
A person living with type 2 diabetes can include pickles as part of their diet in moderation. They may find that the pickle vinegar helps control their blood sugar level. A person should look for lower-sodium and no-sugar-added varieties to help reduce their sodium intake and prevent blood sugar spikes.
Yes, a person with diabetes can eat mayonnaise. Mayonnaise has less than a single gram of carbohydrates per tablespoon. But with 10 grams of total fat (1.6 grams of that coming from saturated fat) it can be considered high fat. So you may want to limit the amount of mayonnaise you eat or find an alternative.
Apple cider vinegar is generally safe for people with diabetes when it's consumed in moderate amounts, such as a few tablespoons or less daily. People with diabetes can consume apple cider vinegar as the risk of adverse effects is low for them.
Though bananas are higher in carbs and sugars than some foods, they also contain fiber and resistant starch that slows down the digestion and release of sugar into your bloodstream. These qualities make bananas a healthy, go-to snack for people with diabetes.
The best fruits for people with diabetes are those that are lower in sugar but higher in fiber. These include berries, citrus fruits, apples, and pears. Berries are especially good for diabetics because they contain anthocyanins, which have been shown to help improve insulin sensitivity.
But if you choose one made with healthy fat (such as olive oil), and make sure you stick to just one serving or less as described on the nutrition label, it can be a diabetes-friendly choice. To avoid overdoing this condiment, always measure it before you spread it.
A tuna salad recipe for people with diabetes is not really different than a recipe for someone without diabetes. Typical tuna recipes will use canned tuna, mayonnaise, chopped celery and or chopped onion. To cut back on the saturated fat and total fat, fat reduced mayonnaise can be substituted.
Be careful with your intake and portion sizes of high-carb sides and desserts. Stuffing is made up mostly of bread, of course you may have this staple Thanksgiving side item but it is important to limit yourself to a smaller serving.
Introduction: My name is Francesca Jacobs Ret, I am a innocent, super, beautiful, charming, lucky, gentle, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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