Ranch dressing is the most popular salad dressing in the United States, and Hidden Valley Ranch is the original, according to the HV Food Products Co. The dressing -- a mixture of buttermilk, herbs and spices -- is named for the California ranch where it was created. Today the company makes several variations, but the original remains most popular.
Serving Size
The stated serving size for Hidden Valley Ranch dressing is 2 tbsp. The salad dressing is sold in various sized bottles, so the amount of servings in a bottle depends on what size you buy. Keep the serving size in mind when dressing your salad and considering its nutritional value. Many people eat food portions that are much larger than the stated serving size, and this has a drastic effect on your daily dietary intake, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports.
Calories
Each 2 tbsp. serving of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing contains 140 calories, and the vast majority of them -- 130 -- are calories from fat. If you eat a 2,000-calories-per-day diet, each serving of the dressing amounts to 6.5 percent of your daily intake total. A calorie is a unit of measurement for the amount of energy a food contains. Foods higher in calories contain more energy, the Food and Drug Administration reports. However, it is important to balance caloric intake with intake of essential dietary components as well as vitamins and minerals.
Fat
Each serving of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing contains 14 g of total fat, which is equal to 22 percent of the recommended maximum intake for fat if you eat 2,000 calories a day. The fat in the dressing includes 2.5 g of saturated fat -- equivalent to 12 percent of the maximum intake recommendation. The dressing also contains 10 mg of cholesterol, or 3 percent of the recommended intake.
Sodium
Your body requires sodium for basic cellular function, but too much can increase your risk for serious conditions such as high blood pressure. Because of the risks, the USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommends limiting your intake to no more than 2,400 mg daily. Each serving of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing contains 260 mg of sodium, which is equal to 11 percent of the maximum intake.
Carbohydrates
Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing contains only a small amount of carbohydrates -- 2 g per serving. The total carbs is equivalent to 1 percent of the daily intake recommendation. The carbohydrates in the dressing includes 1 g of sugar.
Protein
Most foods contain at least a small amount of protein, and Hidden Valley Ranch dressing is among these. Each 2 tbsp. serving contains 1 g of protein. Because protein is not deficient in the typical American diet, the federal government has not set firm intake recommendations, the FDA reports.
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