5 Benefits of Making Your Own Salad Dressing

The idea of making your own salad dressing may seem like a lot of effort. After all, there are so many varieties at the grocery store to grab and go. However, I was shocked at the simplicity of making homemade salad dressing. Plus, I really enjoyed the great flavor it had– once I gave it a try.

Homemade Salad Dressing Tips

1. Make homemade salad dressing burst with flavor by using your favorite herbs and spices. Try including basil, mustard, horseradish, vinegar or garlic to get started. Use herbs and spices rather than salt to help reduce sodium content. You can choose from a variety of natural flavors to make dressings that use your favorite fixings.
2. Choose kidney-friendly ingredients to help control phosphorus and potassium content in addition to sodium. It is nice to know that you can eliminate processing and preservatives by making your own dressings.
3. If you like sweeter dressings, you can select the sweetener of choice that best fits your diet plan. Splenda® or stevia can be an alternative to white sugar.
4. Heart healthy oils can be used for the base of the dressing. Olive oil can help make dressing more heart healthy. There is a variety of oils available. Healthy choices for salad dressing include avocado oil, canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil, walnut oil and grape seed oil.
5. You have the ability to make as much dressing as you will use, keeping the batch fresh. Making smaller quantities may ultimately reduce the cost of already prepared dressings. With few ingredients, you can make a flavor packed dressing!

Salad Dressing Recipes

DaVita.com has salad dressing recipes to trial and give your taste buds a treat. The Basic Salad Dressing is the perfect start to experimenting with fresh herbs. Easy Dijon Salad Dressing has a five star rating. The Oil and Vinegar Dressing recipe is great for simplicity and low sodium content. The Honey-Ginger Dressing  has only 5 ingredients and is very tasty! Give them a try as is, or substitute with your favorite ingredients. Or, better yet, come up with your own salad dressing creation and you are in for a treat!

In addition to homemade salad dressings, you can make many seasoning sauces to help control the amount of sodium and avoid potassium and phosphate additives. Check out the sauce recipes in Seasoning Secrets: 7 Low-Sodium Sauces.

Coming Soon

Look for the newest DaVita.com salad dressing and condiment recipes coming next week in the Today’s Kidney Diet Homemade Condiments cookbook.

Visit DaVita.com and explore these diet and nutrition resources:

DaVita Food Analyzer

DaVita Dining Out Guides

Today’s Kidney Diet Cookbooks

DaVita Kidney-Friendly Recipes

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Kidney Smart® Virtual Classes

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Consult your physician and dietitian regarding your specific diagnosis, treatment, diet and health questions.