Healthy Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe | The Gracious Pantry (2024)

FAQs

Which is healthier balsamic vinegar or vinaigrette? ›

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!

Balsamic vinegar is pure vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is dark brown in color and has a very robust, slightly sweet flavor. Balsamic vinaigrette is a mixture made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and/or other spices. It is typically used as a salad dressing but has other uses in the kitchen as well.

Ingredients: water, soybean oil, balsamic vinegar (wine vinegar, cookedgrape must, concentrated grape juice, caramel colour, sulphites),balsamic vinegar reduction (wine vinegar, concentrated grape must,caramel colour, natural flavour, sulphites), sugar, extra virgin oliveoil, salt, herbs and spice, garlic, citric acid, ...

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest. The exception? We like products made with healthy swaps—think Greek yogurt in place of mayo or heavy cream.

Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

Balsamic vinegar

Popularly used as a salad dressing, balsamic vinegar is prepared from reduced grape juice and all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients of the fruit are present in this vinegar. This is one of the healthiest and most nutritious varieties of vinegar.

Improves digestion and gut health

The enzymes in balsamic vinegar help with digestion and absorption of nutrients, making this an excellent addition to any diet plan. Protein – Balsamic vinegar helps with protein digestion by breaking down the amino acids and making them more absorbable by your body.

The polyphenols found in balsamic vinegar have antioxidant properties that multiple studies show may help improve cardiovascular health. While not a substitute for medication, incorporating balsamic vinegar into a heart-healthy diet could be a small but flavorful step toward maintaining healthy blood pressure.

Studies suggest that it may help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the glycemic response after a meal. Overall, aged balsamic vinegar is a flavorful and healthful addition to any vinaigrette dressing.

What not to do when making a salad? ›

Pick an oil-based vinaigrette over creamy options. Creamy salad dressings are usually made with mayonnaise, sour cream, egg yolks, and added sugar. As a result, they are high in saturated fat and calories. These are the types of dressing that are going to sabotage your otherwise healthy salad.

When it comes to salads, dressing is the whole ballgame. With Marzetti^® Simply Dressed^® on our squad, that game is over and we're already celebrating.

For every 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, substitute 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar or red wine vinegar plus ½ tsp. sugar.

Best: Spinach or Kale Salad

They have the most nutrients. Case in point: Kale and spinach have over 10 times more immune-boosting vitamins A and C than iceberg lettuce.

Crunchy Noodles, Wontons, and Tortilla Strips

All they add to your salad are calories (around 120 per half cup) and fat (half of those calories, at around 60 grams). Same goes for tortilla strips or wontons.

Some people swear by a mixture of soy sauce and grape jelly—or you may try tinkering with a blend of soy sauce, lemon juice, and molasses. Again, these substitutes can be used in the same amounts as balsamic vinegar in recipes.