\u201cRanch is not a superfood<\/a>, but it\u2019s not a nutritional disaster<\/a>,\u201d Cording says. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n While recipes vary, ranch is a creamy dressing, Cording says. \u201cUsually, the cream base contains buttermilk, and there are herbs like dill, parsley, chives, onions, salt, and pepper,\u201d she says. Often there is sour cream and mayonnaise in the mix, too.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, it\u2019s some kind of dairy fat and seasonings,\u201d Cording says.<\/p>\n Cording points out that foreigners may be unfamiliar with how Americans use ranch. \u201cIt\u2019s really common as a salad dressing, or as a dip for vegetables,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s also often served with chicken wings, and you might see it on sandwiches, wraps, and even as a dip for pizza. There are a lot of ways to use ranch, but it\u2019s usually paired with something.\u201d<\/p>\n How Unhealthy Is Ranch Dressing?Ranch dressing is not considered a healthy food. While nutrition content varies by brand, here\u2019s a breakdown of the nutrition of a 2-tablespoon serving of bottled Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing:<\/p>\n [3]<\/p>\n Calories: 130Total Fat: 13g (17 percent of the Daily Value)Saturated Fat: 2g (10 percent of the Daily Value)Protein: 0gFiber: 0gTotal Sugars: 1gSodium: 260mg (11 percent of the Daily Value)<\/p>\n Cording notes that traditional ranch dressing tends to be high in calories, fat, and sodium, \u201cbut it has the potential to support healthy eating habits when it\u2019s used as a vehicle for vegetables.\u201d<\/p>\n Is There a Way to Make Ranch Dressing Healthier?<\/p>\n Many visitors to the United States are discovering highly processed ranch dressing sold at supermarkets, but Cording says it\u2019s possible to make a healthier version of this condiment on your own.<\/p>\n \u201cGreek yogurt ranch dressing is my favorite substitution,\u201d Cording says. \u201cWhen you switch to Greek yogurt<\/a>, you get more protein<\/a>, less saturated fat, and fewer calories, but you\u2019re still getting a creamy texture.\u201d (You can simply mix a packet of store-bought ranch seasoning into a tub of plain Greek yogurt to get this effect, or create a blend of herbs yourself, she says.)<\/p>\n For a healthy ranch dressing that\u2019s less thick than the Greek yogurt kind, Cording suggests using kefir as a base. \u201cYou could also add extra fresh herbs for a nice upgrade,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n The Bottom Line on Ranch Dressing per an RD<\/p>\n Ranch dressing isn\u2019t intended to be a healthy food, but Cording says it can support good eating habits. \u201cHealthy eating is really about your overall patterns,\u201d she says. \u201cA condiment that you love can absolutely fit into an overall balanced diet, especially if you want to eat it with healthy meals.\u201d<\/p>\n To keep your ranch consumption as healthy as possible, Cording suggests pairing the dressing with raw vegetables like carrots, celery, and bell peppers. \u201cYou can also use it as a dip rather than pour it over something,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019ve loved ranch for years as an American or are just discovering it on a visit to the United States for the World Cup, Cording believes there\u2019s no need to avoid it in the name of health. \u201cWhen you eat it thoughtfully, it can definitely be a part of a healthy eating pattern,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Social media is flooded with commentary from World Cup soccer fans traveling to the United States for the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":511637,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,85,46,543],"class_list":["post-511636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-health","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-nutrition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/511636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=511636"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/511636\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/511637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=511636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=511636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=511636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Diet](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/nl-diet-nutrition-1920x1080.jpg\")
What Is Ranch Dressing, Exactly?<\/p>\n