Healthy Buttermilk Ranch Alternative
Article by: Ireland Wolfe via www.livestrong.com
Creamy, buttermilk ranch is a perfect complement to your fresh vegetables, as either a salad dressing or a dip. But traditional ranch dressing is high in fat and calories. If you are watching your weight or just concerned about your health, you can make your own buttermilk ranch dressing that is healthier by changing a few ingredients.Ranch Dressing
Commercial ranch dressing, the kind that you buy in stores, is usually high in calories. It also has little nutritional value. According to the USDA nutrient database, regular commercial ranch dressing has 73 calories in just a 1-ounce serving size. That same serving size contains 7.71 grams of fat. With only .15 grams of protein and 5 milligrams of calcium, traditional ranch dressing does not offer any necessary nutrients. Most store-bought ranch dressing also is high in sodium.
Ingredients
Nutrition
By changing some of the ingredients in your buttermilk ranch, you can significantly reduce calories and fat grams. Using low-fat buttermilk and mayonnaise, a 2-tablespoon serving size of ranch dressing contains 31 calories and 2.65 grams of fat. Buttermilk ranch dressing can also provide some necessary nutrients. Buttermilk is a good source of protein and calcium. A 1-ounce, or 2 tablespoon, serving of low-fat buttermilk contains 1 gram of protein and 35 milligrams of calcium.
Alternatives
Although you can make a healthy version of buttermilk ranch dressing, other salad dressings are better for you. Vinaigrette dressing, made with vinegar and oil, is often low in calories. These dressings, if made with olive oil, can also contain essential omega-3 fatty acids, which can help prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol and blood pressure. You can make a low-calorie Italian vinaigrette dressing with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard and other herbs.
References
- USDA Nutrient Database: Nutrient Data for 04639, Salad Dressing, Ranch Dressing, Commercial, Regular
- Vanderbilt University Health and Wellness: Salad Dressings
- Shape: Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- SkinnyTaste.com: Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- USDA Nutrient Database: Nutrient Data for 01088, Milk, Buttermilk, Fluid, Cultured, Lowfat
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/557510-healthy-buttermilk-ranch-alternative/#ixzz1xFJ8QWo0