Adding a salad before your meal can help fill you up so you eat less. However, some salad dressings can add a significant amount of calories and negate the benefits of your salad. Knowing the nutrition information for your balsamic vinegar dressing can help you adjust your intake to better manage your calories.
Calories
Calories in your balsamic vinegar dressing can vary depending your brand and fat content. A 2-tbsp. serving of Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing contains 110 calories. A homemade balsamic vinegar dressing that contains herbs, spices, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper contains about 195 calories per 2-tbsp. serving. A low-calorie homemade balsamic vinegar that includes herbs, spices, tomato juice and balsamic vinegar without the oil contains about 18 calories per 2-tbsp. serving.
Fat
Fat content can also vary. Kraft's Balsamic Vinaigrette contains 12 g of total fat and 1 g of saturated fat per serving. A homemade balsamic dressing with olive oil contains 22 g of total fat and 3 g of saturated fat per serving. The balsamic dressing without the oil is fat-free. The USDA's dietary guidelines recommends you limit your fat intake to less than 20 to 35 percent of your calories, and saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of your calories.
Carbohydrates and Protein
Most regular salad dressings do not contain a significant amount of carbohydrates or protein. Both the Kraft and a homemade balsamic vinegar dressing with oil contain 1 g of carbohydrate and 0 g of protein per serving. A 2-tbsp. serving of the homemade balsamic vinegar dressing without oil contains 4 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of protein. A healthy diet should contain 45 to 65 percent of the total daily calories from carbohydrates, and 10 to 35 percent from protein.
Sodium
Sodium content also varies depending on brand and recipe. A 2-tbsp. serving of Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette contains 290 mg of sodium. A 2-tbsp. serving of homemade balsamic vinegar dressing with olive oil contains 2 mg of sodium. The low-calorie balsamic vinegar dressing contains 397 mg of sodium per serving. The USDA dietary guidelines recommend you limit your sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg a day. Eating too much sodium increases your risk of developing high blood pressure.
References
- LIVESTRONG.com: Calories in Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- AllRecipes.com: Balsamic Vingegar and Olive Oil Dressing
- AllRecipes.com: Balsamic Salad Dressing
- CDC: Healthy Weight: Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight: Eat More, Weigh Less?
- McKinley Health Center: Macronutrients: The Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat
- USDA Dietary Guidelines: Key Recommendations
Member Comments