If you have been to the Olive Garden restaurant then you know how yummy their Italian salad dressing is. If not, you need to try it. The dressing is available in most stores, but have you checked out the ingredients? It’s not too bad, but if you are trying to AVOID high fructose corn syrup or MSG, and you would like it to have better quality oil, then this recipe is for you! It tastes spot on delicious without all the yucky stuff added.
What is so bad about High Fructose Corn Syrup anyway?
Dr. Mark Hyman stated in an article from the Huffington Post why you should NEVER consume High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).
“In America today, we are eating huge doses of sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup. It is sweeter and cheaper than regular sugar and is in every processed food and sugar-sweetened drink. Purging it from your diet is the single best thing you can do for your health!”
In this post from Dr. Axe, he gives some interesting information.
9 dangers of eating High Fructose Corn Syrup
1. Weight gain
2. Cancer
3. Fatty liver & liver stress
4. Increased cholesterol levels
5. Diabetes
6. High blood pressure
7. Heart disease
8. Leaky gut
9. Increased mercury intake
What are your options for alternatives?
One of my favorite mentors on health and nutrition is Robyn Openshaw. I have been following her for many, many years and she hasn’t ever steered me wrong. She now has a podcast that I am going HIGHLY recommend you start following! In podcast #10 Robyn goes over the good, the bad and the ugly of sugar. Not only does she talk about how bad the stuff is for us, she gives some great ideas of what to use to sweeten our foods. Love it, and love her!
What is the deal with MSG?
MSG, monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer added to thousands of the foods you and your family regularly eat, especially if you are like most Americans and eat the majority of your food as processed foods or in restaurants. It is highly addictive and makes food taste better.
Most people DON’T know that MSG has been linked to brain damage, tumors, and lesions, nervous system and endocrine problems. You can see many studies (144 at last count) at pubmed.com on how rats have been injected with MSG to make them obese for studying diabetes.
Dr. Mercola in his opening statement from a post on his website said,
”A widespread and silent killer that’s worse for your health than alcohol, nicotine and many drugs is likely lurking in your kitchen cabinets right now.”
He is referring to MSG.
I don’t like to cause alarm and bring FEAR into eating, however, I do feel driven to share some of these things that I have learned with you. In our home, we have been trying to clean up our eating habits for many years. We have done it a little at a time and and most of it seems like second nature now. We read labels, we avoid high fructose corn syrup, we haven’t drank milk for over 7 years, and we avoid things with MSG like the plaque. It is a process that you go through a little at a time, once you become aware of what is good and what isn’t.
Make adjustments a little at a time
I know it may not seem like a big deal, because EVERYONE is eating this stuff. You may also be thinking that you can’t avoid it, but you CAN and you NEED to. Start reading labels and be brave enough to just put it back on the shelf if it has these substances in it. It is NOT worth it! Doesn’t it always go back to eating as many WHOLE FOODS as possible? Easier said than done, I know. Do the best you can, enjoy food, enjoy eating it.
Enough of that stuff. Let’s get back to information on how to make a yummy salad dressing that you won’t have to stress over.
This is what you need
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian Dressing Mix I make my own using this awesome recipe, or you can use one Italian Season packets that come in the store. However, make sure there are no nasty ingredients in there.
- ¼ cup white distilled vinegar
- ¾ cup olive oil, or avocado oil can be used
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ Tablespoon mayonnaise
This is what you do
- Simply add all the ingredients to a glass jar and shake. I love these plastic lids. These lids come in handy for so many things. You can get them here.
- The dressing will settle and separate, as no emulsifiers have been added (this is a good thing!)
- Give it a good shake when you are ready to use it.
So there you have it! Wasn’t that simple?
See, eating healthy doesn’t have to be HARD or complicated. I hope this gives you a resource for a yummy, healthy dressing.
Enjoy preparing, and eating a yummy salad!
Cheers!
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