Is Salad Dressing High In Syns? Can I Use It On Slimming World?

The majority of us think a salad is a diet-friendly meal, and while its true salads are naturally low in calories and high in nutrition, salad dressings can make a salad very unhealthy depending on the type used.

Salad dressing has varying syns according to the brand and ingredients, on average, you can expect them to have between 0.5 syns and 3 syns for a spoon, meaning they should be consumed within moderation to avoid using too many extra syns. 

We've put together an informational syn guide below which will discuss why salad dressing can be high in syns, syn values of salad dressing as well as three different recipes for making your own salad dressing at home to save syns.

Why Does Salad Dressing Have Syns?

Salad dressing can pack a lot of syns into your food if you are not careful, with some having up to 3 syns a tablespoon, just two could cost you nearly half of your daily syn allowance for the day.

Salad dressings tend to either have a high sugar content or fat content from the oil, some dressings like Caesar can have up to 3 syns a tablespoon and up to 6g of fat due to the cheese, milk powder and oil.

The best way to choose a low-syn salad dressing is by picking options which have a spray in order to use a little amount rather than simply pouring it on, you can also often find reduced-fat alternatives of your favourite salad dressings to save syns.

Syn Values Of Salad Dressing

Salad dressing comes with different syns according to the type you buy and its fat content, to help you compare between them, we've listed some popular brands and their syn values down below.

• Tesco Caesar Dressing 250ml - 3 syns.
• Hellmann's Original Salad Dressing 210 ml - 0.5 syns.
• Aldi Bramwells Fat Free Vinaigrette Salad Dressing 250ml - 0.5 syns.
• Heinz Balsamic with a Hint of Garlic Salad Dressing Spray 200ml - 0.5 syns.
• Sainsbury's Be Good to Yourself Caesar Dressing 250ml - 0.5 syns.
• Aldi Bramwells Classic Caesar Salad Dressing 250ml - 3 syns.
• Aldi Specially Selected Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing 255g - 2.5 syns.
• Tesco Honey & Mustard Dressing 250ml - 1.5 syns.
• Aldi Specially Selected Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing 255ml - 2 syns.
• Mary Berry's Light Salad Dressing 235ml - 2.5 syns.
• Tesco Garlic & Herb Dressing 250ml - 2 syns.
• Aldi Bramwells House Salad Dressing 250ml - 2 syns.
• Tesco French Style Dressing 250ml - 1.5 syns.
• Heinz Chilli & Lime Salad Dressing Spray 200ml - 1 syn.
• Hellmann's Thousand Island Salad Dressing 210 ml - 2 syns.
• Sainsbury's Be Good to Yourself Honey & Mustard Dressing 250ml - 0.5 syns.
• Tesco Thousand Island Dressing 250ml - 2 syns.
• Aldi Bramwells Honey & Mustard Salad Dressing 250ml - 1 syn.
• Sainsbury's Be Good to Yourself French Dressing 250ml - 0.5 syns.
• Aldi Bramwells Mango & Chilli Salad Dressing 250ml - 1.5 syns.
• Hellmann's Caesar with Smoked Garlic Salad Dressing 210ml - 1.5 syns.
• Lidl Deluxe Soy, Chilli & Ginger Salad Dressing 255ml - 2 syns.
• Heinz Zesty Lemon Salad Dressing Spray 200ml - 0.5 syns.
• Hellmann's Honey and Mustard Salad Dressing 210ml - 2 syns.

How To Make Your Own SW Salad Dressing

One way to reduce the syns in your salad dressing is by making your own at home, down below we've put together three syn free and low syn recipes to give you some flavour inspiration for your salads.

Honey & Mustard Dressing (One syn per serving)

Ingredients

• Seasoning.
• 130g of fat free fromage frais.
• Teaspoon of honey.
• Pinch of mustard powder.
• Teaspoon of white wine vinegar.
• Teaspoon of wholegrain mustard.

Method

1. Simply blend and add water to loosen as desired.

Balsamic Vinegar & Basil Dressing

Ingredients

• Two handfuls of basil.
• A spoon of balsamic vinegar.
• Seasoning.
• Half a jar of roasted red peppers in brine.

Method

1. Blend.

Lemon & Mint Dressing

Ingredients

• Seasoning.
• 150g of fat-free plain Greek yogurt.
• Teaspoon of white wine vinegar.
• Handful of mint.
• Zest and juice of a lemon.

Method

1. Blend and loosen with water.

Last Words

Overall, salad dressing has anything between 0.5 syns to 3 syns depending on the kind of dressing that you choose and the ingredients. In order to save syns we would suggest using reduced-fat spray dressings or making your own syn-free versions at home to keep your salads slimming world friendly.