5 Ingredients Experts Say To Avoid In Store-Bought Salad Dressings

Justin Ong via Getty Images Salads are one of the first foods many people think of when they want to opt for a healthy meal. “These types of fats are not as healthy for us, and the American Heart Association recommends that saturated fats make up less than 6% of one’s diet,” Taub-Dix said. While you may not think of creamy salad dressings as having oil, registered dietitian Melissa Rifkin says store-bought dressings often do, which can increase the amount of saturated fat. These types of fats help reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol, which prevents heart disease and reduces inflammation.” No matter what kind of salad dressing you’re eying, Taub-Dix said it’s a good idea to read the nutrition label, not only to check the saturated fat content, but also the sugar, sodium and calories if one of your health goals is weight loss. While the amount of added sugar listed on the nutrition label may be quite low, Rifkin said it’s important to keep in mind that the amount of dressing you use on your salad may be more than a serving size.