Healthy Diabetes-Friendly Salad Dressings (Recipes & Products) (2024)

FAQs

What salad dressings are ok for diabetics? ›

Choose dressings made with avocado oil, olive oil or vegetable oils like canola, sunflower and safflower. But stay away from dressing that's high in saturated fat, which can lead to inflammation and chronic illness, possibly making your diabetes harder to control.

Italian salad dressings and vinaigrettes have about 3 grams of sugar per serving size, honey mustard dressings contain around 7 grams, and Catalina dressings have about 8 grams of sugar. People also tend to use more than the recommended serving size of two tablespoons, which increases the sugar content of the salad.

Balsamic is one of several types of vinegar thought to limit spikes in blood glucose levels. One study suggests that, if taken in moderation prior to eating, vinegar can help people with type 2 diabetes better manage their blood sugar.

Watch out for super-creamy dressings such as ranch and bleu cheese — the ADA lists these as foods to avoid — and limit your intake of low-fat creamy dressings, such as light ranch, to occasional treats.

Olive Oil and Vinegar

Most olive oil-and-vinegar dressings have zero net carbs, which is why they're recommended for followers of the keto diet.

So the next time you're dressing a salad, reach for the balsamic vinegar–in the long run, not ingesting that extra fat and sugar makes a big difference!

Peanut butter contains essential nutrients, and it can be part of a healthful diet when a person has diabetes. However, it is important to eat it in moderation, as it contains a lot of calories. People should also make sure their brand of peanut butter is not high in added sugar, salt, or fat.

Can diabetics have zesty italian dressing? ›

Generally most bottled or restaurant-style Italian dressings are high in fat and calories, so if you have diabetes, you'd certainly want to avoid them.

Mayonnaise for Healthy Fat

But if you choose one made with healthy fat (such as olive oil), and make sure you stick to just one serving or less as described on the nutrition label, it can be a diabetes-friendly choice. To avoid overdoing this condiment, always measure it before you spread it.

Yes, a person with diabetes can eat mayonnaise. Mayonnaise has less than a single gram of carbohydrates per tablespoon. But with 10 grams of total fat (1.6 grams of that coming from saturated fat) it can be considered high fat. So you may want to limit the amount of mayonnaise you eat or find an alternative.

Oatmeal can be a good option for people with diabetes. Oatmeal has a low glycemic index (GI) score, and the soluble fiber and beneficial compounds in oats may help people control markers of diabetes.

Tuna salad is made by combining tuna with mayonnaise and other ingredients, such as celery and onions. A 5-ounce can of tuna provides around 20 grams of protein and no carbs, which makes it a great snack option if you have diabetes.

Yes, a person with diabetes can eat mayonnaise. Mayonnaise has less than a single gram of carbohydrates per tablespoon. But with 10 grams of total fat (1.6 grams of that coming from saturated fat) it can be considered high fat. So you may want to limit the amount of mayonnaise you eat or find an alternative.

Vinegar, one of the main ingredients in french dressing, could help lower blood glucose and insulin levels. A comprehensive systematic review of control trials studying vinegar intake effects found that vinegar can effectively reduce both glucose and insulin levels to improve glycemic control.