Kraft markets a variety of Italian flavored salad dressings, each with different nutritional values. Salad dressing can be a diet downfall if you aren't careful to watch your serving size because many types are high in fat, calories, salt and sugar. Choosing a light Italian dressing lowers some of these numbers and allows you to enjoy it without derailing your healthy efforts. A serving of Kraft Italian dressing is 1 ounce, which is about 2 tablespoons.
Too much Italian dressing can negate the low fat and calorie content of a salad.Photo Credit SALAD image by brelsbil from Fotolia.com
Calories
Keeping the calories in your meals low can help you can lose weight or control it if you are already at a healthy number. Kraft Zesty Italian dressing contains 70 calories per serving, while the Tuscan House Italian has 130 calories per serving and the Creamy Italian contains 100 calories per serving. The fat-free Italian has 20 calories per serving and is clearly the better choice if you are watching your intake. Stick to one serving to control the calorie content of your salad.
Fat
A high fat diet increases the risk of heart disease and weight gain; sauces and dressings are commonly high in fat and you should limit them in a healthy meal plan. Kraft offers a fat-free Italian dressing that is a good option for someone who is eating a low-fat diet. The Tuscan House Italian contains 13 g of fat per serving, the Zesty Italian weighs in with 6 g and the Creamy Italian has 11 g. The average person should consume less than 78 g of fat per day. It is easy to get close to this if you smother your salad in more than one serving of Italian dressing.
Sodium
Most people should limit sodium intakes to between 1,500 and 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Many types of salad dressing, Kraft's Italian dressings included, have high levels of salt. Regularly consuming too much salt can lead to high blood pressure. A serving of Kraft Creamy Italian or Tuscan House Italian dressing contains 250 mg of sodium and the Zesty Italian has 370 mg. Fat-free Italian contains 380 mg. Limit yourself to one serving of Italian dressing to control your sodium intake.
Sugar
Eating too much sugar leads to weight gain, insulin resistance and diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends getting no more than 9 teaspoons of sugar each day, which is equivalent to about 36 g. A serving of both Kraft's fat-free Italian and Zesty Italian contain 2 g of sugar. The Tuscan House Italian and Creamy Italian also weigh in with 2 g of sugar. Pouring too much on your salad will quickly increase your sugar intake, but sticking to one serving lets you enjoy salad dressing without overloading on the sweet stuff.
www.livestrong.com
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