Weight-loss salad dressings

These choices, which have been approved by a dietitian, are low in calories but full of flavor.

It's not a secret that salad is one of the best things to eat when you're trying to lose weight. But experts say that what you put on your salad is what matters, and some dressings can add calories quickly. Johna Burdeos, a registered dietitian, says that homemade dressings are usually the best choice because you can control how much oil, salt, and sugar goes into them. Still, if you want to save time, there are plenty of salad dressings you can buy that can help you lose weight just as well.

Dressings that have mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, or egg yolk in them tend to have more fat and calories (think: ranch and creamy Caesar).

Highly processed meals are linked to weight gain and chronic diseases, says Health Canal's Sara Chatfield, MPH, RDN. "Look for oil-based vinaigrette with healthful monounsaturated fatty acids and limited sweeteners or preservatives."

Sheri Kasper, RDN, CEO and co-founder of FRESH Communications, doesn't endorse fat-free dressings. Sodium, sugar, and artificial additives are often used to compensate for a lack of fat and flavor.

Here are some healthful, low-calorie salad dressings. Also, avoid these worst salad dressings.

1. Fermented salad dressing with miso and jalapeo from Cleveland Kitchen

EACH WRAP has 290 calories, 8 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 840 mg sodium, 34 g carbs (3 g fiber, 5 g sugar), and 20 g protein.

"The salad dressings from Cleveland Kitchen are great for weight loss because they are made with fermented vegetables, which are good for your gut," says Kasper. "New research suggests that gut health is linked to weight loss, so the fact that these dressings can help support gut health gives them an edge when it comes to weight loss."

This miso jalapeo dressing has a lot of flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. Even more amazing is that each serving only has 35 calories, 1 gram of sugar, and 3.5 grams of fat. It can also be used in a lot of different ways, like grain bowls, sandwiches, and even stir-fries.

2. Primal Kitchen Green Goddess Salad Dressing

PER 2 TEASPOONS: 120 calories, 12 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 180 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 0 g protein.

This salad dressing is approved for Whole30, Paleo, and keto, and that's not all. Jillian O'Neil, RD and founder of Eat.Train.Love.NYC, notes that she loves Primal Kitchen's dressings because they also double as marinades.

This dressing is made with healthy ingredients like avocado oil, coconut aminos, spicy tarragon, and Dijon mustard. It tastes as good as it is good for you. It doesn't have any sugar, gluten, dairy, or soy in it either.

3. Tessemae's Organic Garlic Lemon Dressing

PER TABLESPOON: 80 calories, 9 grams of fat (0.5 grams of saturated fat), 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates (no fiber, no sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

This dressing has been approved by O'Neil because it only has six ingredients and is all organic, gluten-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free. It also happens to be vegan, Whole-30-approved, and suitable for the keto diet.

But don't be fooled—this lemon-garlic dressing has a lot of flavor thanks to the mustard seed and spices that were added to it. It's great for backyard barbecues and summer picnics because it's light, citrusy, and refreshing.

4. Northern Italian Dressings with Basil and Romano from Ken's Steakhouse Lite

PER TABLESPOON: 80 calories, 9 grams of fat (0.5 grams of saturated fat), 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates (no fiber, no sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

With red bell peppers, sweet basil, and a pinch of Romano cheese, this vinaigrette is full of authentic Northern Italian flavor. It goes great on pasta salads, wraps, and grilled vegetables.

Burdeos says, "This one is easy to find at major grocery stores." "Each serving has only 50 calories and no added sugar," she said.

Did we also say that each serving has only 1 gram of carbs and 4.5 grams of fat?

5. Annie's Balsamic Vinaigrette

PER TABLESPOON: 80 calories, 9 grams of fat (0.5 grams of saturated fat), 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates (no fiber, no sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

Even though each serving of this dressing has 10 grams of fat (13% of your DV), Chatfield still recommends it as a top pick because it has very little saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and carbs.

Simple things like balsamic vinegar, expeller-pressed canola oil, honey, stone-ground mustard, and sea salt make up the main parts of this vinaigrette. Still, it has a taste and texture that are surprisingly sharp and creamy, so you don't need much of it to spice up your salad.

6. Bragg Organic Vinaigrette

PER 2 TABLESPOONS: 70 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 20 mg sodium, 4 g carbs (2 g sugar), 0 g protein

This vinaigrette has extra virgin olive oil, which is good for your heart, and apple cider vinegar, which is good for your gut, as well as other healthy ingredients like coconut liquid aminos and organic garlic.

In 2014, the European Journal of Nutrition did a review and found that olive oil may even help people lose weight.

"It only has 70 calories per serving and is low in added sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and preservatives," says Chatfield.