Some common food items we use on a regular basis are considered calorie dense, meaning that they contain a lot of calories in a very small amount. These calorie dense items can be nutrient dense as well, but they may hinder our weight loss if we are not careful. For example, one tbsp of any type of oil (olive, canola, vegetable) contains 14 grams of fat and 120 calories!  Like oil, mayonnaise is also calorie dense and contains 10 grams of fat and 100 calories per tbsp.! We find oils and mayonnaise in a variety of foods, but most all salad dressings are oil or mayonnaise based. This means that 2 tbps of salad dressing can contain 200 calories or more!!! And let’s be honest, most of us use more than 2 tbsp of salad dressing!

So, does this mean salads are out of the question? No! Companies are now creating salad dressings made with yogurt instead of mayonnaise and oil to reduce calories and fat while maintaining flavor. Try brands like Opa Greek Yogurt dressing by Litehouse or Marie’s yogurt dressing and save fat and calories! These brands offer traditional flavors like ranch and blue cheese plus creative flavors like kalamata feta and roasted red pepper. Yogurt dressings contain only 5 grams of fat and 60-70 calories per 2 tbsp! You can find them at your grocery store in the produce section next to the pre-cut fruit and vegetables.

Knowledge Is Power

Jennifer Clark, MS, RD, LD
Bariatric Dietitian
Bariatric Innovations of Atlanta