Dietitians Agree: The One Salad Dressing You Should Stop Using ASAP (Hint—It’s Not Ranch!)

Caesar Is The Worst Salad Dressing For Weight Loss

Caesar is one of the most popular dressing variations on the market and with its rich flavor is a delicious option to add to your salad for better-tasting greens. However, creamy dressings often house an influx of calories, sugar, and fat, and unfortunately, Caesar leads the pack on this.

"Clocking in at 17 g fat per 2 tablespoon serving (which is a modest portion), according to the USDA nutrient database, Caesar dressing is prepared by emulsifying oil with egg yolks, mustard, anchovies, and lemon juice, plus stirring in parmesan cheese at the end," Dudaash explains. Although certain forms of oil can provide healthy fat to your diet, depending on the ratios and in combination with a heavy serving of parmesan cheese, this can quickly add up in calories, masking the benefits your salad can offer for weight loss.

Similarly, Adams says, "Many salad dressings such as ranch or bleu cheese are high in saturated fat and calories. Oftentimes using cream-based dressings can provide more calories than eating a cheeseburger." Yikes!

It's important to note that how your Caesar dressing has been prepared can make a major impact on its nutritional value. If you're out at a restaurant, there's a good chance that ordering a Caesar salad will actually be much better for you than any salad you whip up at home with a bottled dressing that you picked up from the store. This is all due to the quality of the ingredients.

"At a nice restaurant where Caesar is made from scratch, it's actually not too bad for you, since it's made with extra-virgin olive oil—a heart-healthy fat that is a staple of the Mediterranean diet. However, bottled Caesar is typically made with lower-quality oils, which may even be on the inflammatory side," Dudash warns.

Make Your Own Healthy Salad Dressing

If Caesar is one of your favorite dressing variations, this doesn't mean you have to give up on it forever. While purchasing a bottle straight from the shelf is sure to pack on the calories to your meal, you can prepare your own variation of the dressing at home from scratch, allowing for a full awareness of every ingredient that will be going into your body. "If you want to trim the fat and calories at home, try whisking up lemon juice, Dijon, extra-virgin olive oil, and grated Parmesan for a lighter vinaigrette. Toss with salt to offset the acidity. Plus add pepper," Dudash suggests.

Realistically you don't have to banish Caesar dressing from your diet in order to continue to lose weight, but it can be useful to make it from scratch or stay aware of your portion sizes in order to ensure that you aren't defeating the purpose of your healthy salad with a rich and creamy, fat-filled dressing.

The Bottom Line

Fat is one of the essential macronutrients that your body needs in order to feel good, but ensuring that you're consuming healthy fat in moderation is essential for being aware of your calorie intake and improving your health instead of causing inadvertent weight gain. Cutting out store-bought Caesar is a great first step to take, and making most dressings from home can be an easy way to increase awareness about what you're putting into your body, resulting in a healthier lifestyle over time.