Honey mustard dressing is a popular salad dressing that combines the sweet taste of honey with the tangy flavor of mustard. But with its sweet flavor profile, some may wonder just how fattening honey mustard dressing really is. There are a few key factors that determine the fat and calorie content of honey mustard dressing.
Ingredients
The main ingredients in honey mustard dressing are honey, mustard, oil or mayonnaise, and sometimes other ingredients like vinegar, spices, or sour cream. The specific ingredients and amounts used can vary significantly between recipes and brands. But in general:
– Honey: Honey adds sweetness and flavor but minimal fat or calories.
– Mustard: Mustard is very low in fat and calories.
– Oil or mayonnaise: Oil and mayonnaise add the most fat and calories. Regular mayonnaise is high fat. Light mayonnaise or oil have less fat.
– Vinegar: Adds tang but no fat.
– Sour cream: Sour cream adds fat and calories. Reduced fat sour cream has less.
– Spices: Negligible calories.
So dressings made with more oil or mayonnaise will be higher in fat and calories compared to versions made with more mustard and honey.
Serving Size
The total fat and calorie content also depends heavily on the serving size consumed. The nutrition information on packaging is often based on a 2 tablespoon (30ml) serving size. Consuming more dressing than the serving size of course increases the fat and calories you intake.
Fat Content
The type of oil or mayonnaise used also impacts the fat content. Regular mayonnaise contains around 90 calories and 10g fat per tablespoon. Light mayonnaise has around half the fat and calories. Some honey mustard dressings are made with oils which also vary in fat content:
| Oil | Fat Grams Per Tablespoon |
|---|---|
| Olive oil | 14g |
| Vegetable or canola oil | 14g |
| Safflower oil | 10g |
As you can see, olive oil and vegetable/canola oil contain 14g fat per tablespoon, while safflower oil has slightly less at 10g. So dressings made with regular olive oil would contain more fat than ones made with safflower oil.
Added Sugars
Some honey mustard dressings also contain added sugars aside from just the honey. Added sugars like high fructose corn syrup or sucrose can boost the calorie count without providing much nutrition. Checking the ingredient list can give you an idea of whether significant added sugars are used.
Low Fat Honey Mustard Dressing Options
To keep honey mustard dressing lower in fat and calories, look for versions that use:
– Fat free or light mayonnaise
– Safflower, avocado, or other lighter oils
– No or limited added sugars
– Low fat or fat free sour cream
Making your own dressing at home also allows you to control the ingredients and optimize for lower fat.
Nutrition Information
To get a true sense of how fattening a particular honey mustard dressing is, check the nutrition label. Key things to look for:
– Serving size – the nutrition is for this amount
– Total fat and calories per serving
– Saturated fat
– Added sugars
– Ingredient list
As a general guideline, look for dressings with around 5-7g total fat or 50-70 calories per 2 tablespoon serving. Very high fat versions may have 12-14g fat per serving.
Here is a nutrition comparison of some popular commercial honey mustard dressings (per 2 tablespoon serving):
| Dressing | Total Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Ken’s Lite Honey Mustard | 0g | 15 |
| Girard’s Light Honey Mustard | 3g | 60 |
| Kraft Honey Mustard Dressing | 7g | 90 |
| Marzetti Simply Dressed Honey Mustard | 5g | 70 |
| Annie’s Naturals Organic Honey Mustard | 8g | 110 |
As you can see, fat and calories can range significantly between brands and formulations. Light or low fat options tend to be lower in fat and calories than original or organic varieties.
How Much Honey Mustard Dressing Is Reasonable?
When enjoying honey mustard dressing, it’s best to stick to reasonable serving sizes. The standard 2 tablespoon serving size is a good reference point. This allows you to flavor your salad without going overboard on fat and calories.
Depending on the fat content, 2 tablespoons provides around 50-150 calories. So using 4-6 tablespoons could add 200-300 calories, which starts to become more significant.
Ideally, limit higher fat dressings like original honey mustard to 2-3 tablespoons per salad. For lighter dressings with around 3-5g fat per serving, you may be able to get away with a slightly larger serving size like 3-4 tablespoons. But more than that is pushing it in terms of fat and calorie intake.
To keep servings in check:
– Measure out dressing instead of pouring freely
– Dip fork into dressing then spear salad instead of drizzling dressing over everything
– Mix dressing with vinegar and oil for lighter option
– Use mustard and honey as lower calorie way to add flavor
Healthiest Ways to Eat Honey Mustard Dressing
While honey mustard dressing can fit into a healthy diet, it’s best not to overdo it. Here are some tips for keeping honey mustard dressing as healthy as possible:
– Use light, low fat, or fat free dressing varieties
– Limit to 2-3 tablespoon serving sizes
– Pair with low calorie vegetables and greens like spinach, kale, broccoli, celery, and carrots
– Avoid drenching high calorie foods like potatoes, pasta, chicken nuggets, fries, etc. The dressing makes a lower calorie food much higher in calories
– Drizzle over salads instead of dipping to minimize excess dressing intake
– Mix in plain mustard and touch of honey for flavor without much added fat
– Make your own dressing with light ingredients to control fat and sugar content
– Use as sauce or marinade instead of slathering as a salad dressing. More flavor impact with less dressing overall.
Healthier Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing
Making your own honey mustard dressing at home lets you control the exact ingredients and nutrition profile. Here is a recipe for a healthier homemade honey mustard dressing:
Ingredients
– 1/4 cup yellow mustard
– 2 tablespoons honey
– 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
– 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
– 1 tablespoon lemon juice
– 1 small shallot, finely minced
– 1 small garlic clove, minced
– pinch of salt and pepper
– pinch of dried thyme (optional)
Instructions
1. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the mustard, honey, vinegar, oil, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme if using.
2. Let sit for 5-10 minutes for flavors to develop or refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Shake or whisk again before drizzling or tossing with salad.
Nutrition
This homemade honey mustard dressing has a good balance of flavors, creaminess, and acidity from the vinegar and lemon. By using a lighter oil like avocado oil and limiting to 1/4 cup, it keeps the fat and calorie count reasonable.
Per 2 tablespoon serving:
– Total fat: 7g
– Calories: 90
– Carbs: 3g sugar
– Protein: 0g
So this homemade version has a similar nutrition profile to many popular brands of honey mustard dressings. But you control the ingredients and avoid unnecessary additives like added sugars. Feel free to tweak the specific ingredients to your liking depending on what you have on hand.
Honey Mustard Dressing Calories in Restaurant Salads
When ordering a salad with honey mustard dressing in a restaurant, the calories can add up fast depending on the portion size. Typical restaurant salads contain around 300-600 calories just for the salad alone without dressing or toppings. Here are some examples of total calories in popular restaurant salads with honey mustard dressing:
| Salad | Calories (no dressing) | Calories (with 2oz honey mustard dressing) |
|---|---|---|
| Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad | 430 | 730 |
| Panera Fuji Apple Chicken Salad | 520 | 820 |
| Chili’s Southwestern Chicken Salad | 610 | 910 |
| Cheesecake Factory Chinese Chicken Salad | 670 | 970 |
As you can see, a 2-3 ounce restaurant dressing serving can add 200-300 calories on average to an already high calorie salad. To keep the calories reasonable, request the dressing on the side and limit to 1-2 tablespoons or ask for balsamic vinegar as a lower calorie option. Or be satisfied with just half the salad.
Healthiest Salad Toppings for Weight Loss
To make your salad as healthy as possible and maximize weight loss:
Fill up on Veggies
Focus on low calorie, high fiber vegetables like greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, carrots. Go easy on higher calorie veggies like corn, peas, potatoes, beans.
Pick Lean Proteins
Top with lean proteins like grilled chicken breast, salmon, shrimp, turkey, eggs, tuna. Avoid fatty meats like bacon, sausage, and heavily breaded proteins.
Use Low Calorie Dressings
Stick to lighter dressings like vinaigrettes and squeeze of lemon or lime. Limit to 1-2 tablespoons of creamy dressings. Or use vinegar only.
Load Up on Toppers
Boost nutrition and satiety with toppers like nuts, seeds, avocado, beans, shredded cheese, fresh herbs.
Go Easy on Dried Fruits, Croutons, Tortilla Strips
These salad toppers add lots of calories and carbs for small amounts. Limit to under 1 tablespoon per serving.
Track Calories
Use a calorie counting app to tally up your total salad calories including dressing, toppings and mix-ins. Aim for 400-600 calories maximum.
Healthiest Store-Bought Honey Mustard Dressing Brands
If you want to skip making your own dressing, here are some of healthiest store-bought honey mustard dressing options:
Ken’s Lite Honey Mustard Dressing
– 0g fat
– 15 calories per serving
– Uses sugar instead of honey
Newman’s Own Lite Honey Mustard Dressing
– 1g fat
– 15 calories
– No added sugar
Brianna’s As You Like It Honey Mustard Dressing
– 2.5g fat
– 25 calories
– No sugar added
Girard’s Light Honey Mustard Dressing
– 3g fat
– 60 calories
– Lowest calorie “regular” honey mustard dressing
Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Honey Mustard Dressing
– 2.5g fat
– 45 calories
– Higher protein
Honey Mustard Sauce Nutrition Facts
Honey mustard can also be used to make dips, spreads, marinades, and sauces. Here is a look at the nutrition facts in 2 tablespoons of typical honey mustard sauce recipes:
| Recipe | Total Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Honey mustard dipping sauce | 3g | 60 |
| Honey dijon marinade | 0g | 15 |
| BBQ honey mustard sauce | 4g | 70 |
| Honey mustard glaze | 0g | 25 |
As you can see, honey mustard-based sauces provide lots of flavor for around 60 calories or less per serving in most recipes. They can be a great low calorie alternative to cream based sauces and dressings.
Should You Avoid Honey Mustard Dressing When Dieting?
Honey mustard dressing can absolutely be worked into a diet for healthy weight loss. The key is consuming it in moderation as part of an overall balanced, reduced calorie diet. Here are some tips for enjoying honey mustard dressing on a diet:
– Stick to the recommended 2 tablespoon serving size, measured carefully
– Use mustard and touch of honey for flavor to cut back on oil and fat
– Alternate between honey mustard and very low calorie dressings like vinegar or lemon juice
– Order it on the side in restaurants and dip fork lightly instead of pouring directly over salad
– Opt for light or low fat dressing varieties to cut calories
– Pair dressing with low calorie vegetables and greens instead of starchy sides, croutons, etc.
– Avoid drenching salad – drizzle sparingly over top or mix dressing in another container before tossing with salad
– Read labels and be aware of calories, fat, and sugar content per serving
– Make your own dressing so you control exactly what goes in it
As part of a balanced diet, you can certainly still enjoy the great taste of honey mustard dressing without derailing your weight loss efforts. Just be mindful of portions and pair sensibly with low calorie ingredients.
Conclusion
Honey mustard dressing can range quite a bit in its fat and calorie content depending on the specific ingredients, portion sizes, and how it’s paired. Lighter versions contain around 50-70 calories and 3-5g of fat per serving, while more loaded varieties can reach 150 calories and 14g of fat. To keep honey mustard dressing from being too fattening, stick to recommended 2-3 tablespoon serving sizes, opt for light or low fat versions, and pair with low calorie salad ingredients for maximum nutrition. Tracking your total calories including dressing and being mindful of fat, sugar, and portion sizes can allow you to work it into your diet in moderation. Making your own dressing at home gives you maximum control over the nutrition profile. Overall, honey mustard dressing can certainly be enjoyed deliciously on a diet when consumed in sensible amounts.