Salad Dressing for CKD: What to look for and brands to try

Eating more vegetables is something that everyone probably needs to do (myself included!), but especially people with kidney disease. One way to make eating vegetables more enjoyable is to dip them into a delicious, flavorful kidney friendly salad dressing or dip. Keep reading to find the best salad dressing for kidney disease!

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What makes a salad dressing ‘kidney friendly’?

Low Sodium Salad Dressing

A low sodium salad dressing is a salad dressing that contains fewer mg of sodium than calories. Sodium in salad dressings is one of the biggest problems with store bought salad dressing because they are typically VERY high in sodium. Without reading labels, you’re very likely to pick up a dressing that has too much sodium.

One tip for finding a salad dressing that is less likely to be high in sodium is to avoid lite, fat free, or reduced fat salad dressings. Because these salad dressings will have fewer calories, it is harder to keep the sodium content even lower. For example, a salad dressing with only 50 calories and 200mg of sodium would be considered a high sodium salad dressing. If that salad dressing had 210 calories per serving and the same 200mg of sodium, then it would be considered a low sodium salad dressing.

Another tip for finding a lower sodium salad dressing is to look in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle. We have found that these salad dressings tend to have less sodium than the ones found in the non-refrigerated section. This is most likely due to the fact that sodium and refrigeration are both ways to help to preserve foods. If a dressing is being refrigerated, it may not need as much sodium to keep it fresh.

How to include higher sodium salad dressings

If you prefer a salad dressing that has more sodium than calories, take a look at your overall salad and see if your overall meal has less sodium than calories. Depending on what you are adding to your salad, you may have a little wiggle room to use a higher sodium dressing. For example, adding one half cup of no salt added garbanzo beans will add 120 calories to your salad while only adding 10mg of sodium. This can offset the higher sodium in the salad dressing, so your overall salad will still be low in sodium compared to the total calories in the meal.

No salt added beans, nuts, and whole grains like rice or quinoa are all great ways to add additional calories to a salad without adding more sodium. Just be sure to choose a salad dressing that contains no phosphorus additives.

Low Phosphorus Salad Dressing

A low phosphorus salad dressing will be a salad dressing that contains no phosphorus additives.

Phosphorus additives are sometimes used to make a dressing feel creamier, so it is not uncommon to find added phosphorus in salad dressings. Phosphorus additives can really drive up PTH and phosphorus levels, especially in people with kidney disease. This can have a negative impact on your cardiovascular system and your bones.

The only way to see if a food has a phosphorus additives is to check the ingredient list. For example, Hidden Valley Ranch contains two phosphorus additives as shown below.

Interestingly, the Hidden Valley Ranch also contains MSG, Disodium Inosinate, and Disodium Guanylate. These ingredients can drive up uric acid. If you have elevated uric acid levels or are prone to gout, I would also recommend avoiding salad dressings that contain these ingredients.

Low Potassium Salad Dressing

The vast majority of salad dressings on the market are considered low potassium foods. This is because the primary ingredient in salad dressing is oil, which typically contains zero potassium.

Some salad dressings contain potassium additives. In the October 2023 USDA Branded Foods Database, we found 1,494 out of 4,082 salad dressing entries contained potassium additives, which is almost 37% of the entries in the database. The majority of the food labels for these salad dressings that contain potassium additives still list the potassium content as zero, which can be very frustrating and misleading. For example, this Kraft Thousand Island salad dressing contains two different potassium additives, but lists the potassium amount as 0%:

Obviously if potassium is listed as an ingredient, then the salad dressing must contain some potassium, so why is it listed as zero?

Potassium additives and food labeling for salad dressings

According to the FDA regulations, manufacturers are not required to list out the potassium content of a food if it contains less than 2% of the Recommended Daily Intake. The RDI for potassium is 4,700mg, so anything containing less than 94mg of potassium can omit it from the label or indicate that the food item is “not a significant source of potassium”. They can even list it as zero!

This means that these salad dressings that contain potassium additives, but list the potassium content as zero have somewhere between 1-94mg of potassium per serving. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to know for sure.

Fortunately, many people with CKD do not have a potassium restriction. For those that do have a potassium restriction, keep in mind that there are many other factors that can cause potassium levels to be high that are not related to the potassium content of the foods that you eat.

However, if you do have a potassium restriction, you may choose to avoid salad dressings with potassium additives, even if they nutrition facts say zero. There are likely alternative options available that contain no additives and will be lower in potassium.

High fat salad dressing

We recommend always choosing a high fat salad dressing for several reasons.

Higher fat salad dressings will typically be considered low sodium foods. Fat also adds flavor, which means that manufacturers do not have to rely on sodium as much to add flavor.

Another reason that people with CKD should focus on higher fat salad dressing is because they may have cut out too much fat from their diet when reducing protein intake.

Protein, particularly animal protein, is a major source of fat in many people’s diets. When people reduce their protein intake, they also inadvertently reduce their fat intake. Fat is a major source of calories, so some people with CKD may not be eating enough calories on a low protein diet, which can put them at risk for malnutrition.

Higher fat salad dressings are also good if you have diabetes. Fat can help slow down digestion of carbohydrates, which can prevent your blood sugar from spiking too quickly.

Can I make my own kidney friendly salad dressing?

Of course! Salad dressings are incredibly easy to make! A typical recipe includes some sort of oil and something acidic like vinegar or lemon juice. Many of them then add additional flavors such as dried herbs, mustard, honey, etc. Just search for low sodium salad dressing recipes online. You can also look up regular recipes and adjust them to be lower in sodium by omitting the salt or reducing the amount of high sodium ingredients like mustard.

Is balsamic vinegar good for kidneys?

One tablespoon of balsamic vinegar contains only 18mg of potassium and 3mg of phosphorus, which make it low in potassium and phosphorus. Balsamic vinegar is acidic and can contribute to metabolic acidosis, so we recommend using balsamic ingredient as an ingredient in a salad dressing and not as the sole dressing used on a salad.

Pairing balsamic vinegar with an oil makes a vinaigrette, which is a very kidney friendly salad dressing. A typical vinaigrette contains 3 parts oil and 1 part vinegar, so consuming balsamic vinegar as part of a vinaigrette would mean that your overall portion of vinegar is relatively small.

Additionally, oils have zero potassium and phosphorus, and the fat in oils help improve the way your body absorbs certain vitamins and nutrients.

Best Store Bought Salad Dressing for Kidney Disease

The following dressings are all considered low in sodium and contain no phosphorus additives. All but one do not contain potassium additives (and the one that does actually reports an amount for potassium).

Marie’s Creamy Ranch Dressing and Dip

• Calories: 180
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 1g
• Fat: 19g
• Sodium: 160mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 0mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g

This ranch salad dressing is low in sodium and contains no phosphorus additives or potassium additives making it a great option for anyone with kidney disease. Use it on salads or as a dip! Marie’s also makes several other flavors of kidney friendly salad dressing that are low sodium and contain no phosphorus additives including: Caesar, Creamy Italian Garlic. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Braswell’s Vidalia Onion Peppercorn Dressing

• Calories: 140
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 11g
• Fat: 10g
• Sodium: 110mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 20mg
• Calcium: 12mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 10g

Braswell’s makes a few kidney friendly salad dressings that are low sodium and contains no phosphorus additives. Many of their dressings do contain a potassium additive, however the amount of potassium is quite low at 20mg (or less!). Remember, if you choose a higher sodium dressing, be sure to offset the sodium by adding some higher calorie, low sodium ingredients to your salad. Note that this dressing is higher in sugar. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Brianna’s Dairy Free Garden Ranch

• Calories: 120
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 1g
• Fat: 13g
• Sodium: 80mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 0mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g

Brianna’s makes several kidney friendly salad dressings that are low in sodium and contain no phosphorus or potassium additives (and you can even buy them as a 3-pack!). In addition to a low sodium garden ranch, they also make an herbed vinaigrette and balsamic vinaigrette that are low sodium! Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Dress It Up Red Wine Vinaigrette

• Calories: 90
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 1g
• Fat: 9g
• Sodium: 85mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 0mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g

A simple vinaigrette that is low in sodium and contains no phosphorus additives or potassium additives. This kidney friendly salad dressing is also low in sugar. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Drew’s Romano Caesar Dressing

• Calories: 170
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 1g
• Fat: 18g
• Sodium: 170mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 5mg
• Calcium: 16mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g

If you like the flavor of cheese, choosing a kidney friendly salad dressing such as this Romano Caesar is a great way to get the flavor of cheese without too much sodium (or protein, if you’re on a low protein diet). They also make a Roasted Garlic and Peppercorn flavor that is low sodium. This products contains no phosphorus or potassium additives. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Field and Farmer Lemon Garlic & Basil Vinaigrette

• Calories: 140
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 2g
• Fat: 15g
• Sodium: 15mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 10mg
• Calcium: 10mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 2g

This kidney friendly salad dressing is low sodium, contains no phosphorus additives or potassium additives, and is relatively low in sugar. They also make a Sweet basil vinaigrette flavor that is low sodium, kidney friendly! Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Follow Your Heart Vegan Ranch Dressing

• Calories: 130
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 1g
• Fat: 14g
• Sodium: 125mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 12mg
• Calcium: 2mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g

If you’re looking for a vegan ranch salad dressing, consider this low sodium, no phosphorus or potassium additive kidney friendly salad dressing. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Ken’s Sweet Vidalia Onion

• Calories: 130
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 10g
• Fat: 10g
• Sodium: 80mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 0mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 9g

When shopping for this kidney friendly salad dressing, be sure that you don’t choose the “Lite” version which is a high sodium food. The regular version is low in sodium and contains no phosphorus or potassium additives. Ken’s makes many different salad dressings. Some of their dressing have phosphorus additives and many are higher in sodium. Some may also contain MSG. Be sure to check food labels and plan your meals accordingly. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Newman’s Own Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing

• Calories: 150
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 1g
• Fat: 16g
• Sodium: 150mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 0mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 1g

This popular brand has one flavor that is a low sodium, kidney friendly salad dressing- oil and vinegar. It contains no phosphorus or potassium additives as well as no MSG. They have several dressings that are higher in sodium. If you choose a higher sodium dressing, be sure offset the sodium by adding some higher calorie, low sodium foods like nuts, beans, or whole grains to your salad. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Panera Balsamic Vinaigrette

• Calories: 90
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 7g
• Fat: 7g
• Sodium: 50mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 0mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 6g

The popular food chain makes salad dressings – one of which is considered low sodium and contains no phosphorus or potassium additives. They make several other dressings that are higher in sodium and contain no phosphates. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

Stonewall Kitchen Classic Italian Dressing

• Calories: 160
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 2g
• Fat: 17g
• Sodium: 150mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 0mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g

Stonewall Kitchen makes a ton of low sodium, no added phosphorus or potassium kidney friendly salad dressings. Some of their salad dressings are high in sodium, but some other low sodium, kidney friendly salad dressing flavors to check out include: Basil Garlic Olive Oil Dressing, Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette, Strawberry Balsamic, Lemon & Avocado Oil Vinaigrette, Cucumber Dill, Olive Oil & Balsamic Dressing, Buttermilk Cracked Peppercorn. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Tessamae’s Buffalo Ranch

• Calories: 170
• Protein: 0g
• Carbohydrate: 1g
• Fat: 19g
• Sodium: 160mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 0mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g

Buffalo Ranch dressings are typically loaded with sodium, but not this version by Tessamae’s. These dressings contain no phosphorus or potassium additives either. They also make a low sodium, kidney friendly Honey Poppyseed salad dressing, classic Greek, lemon garlic, organic creamy caesar, cilantro lime ranch, balsamic, classic italian, and lemon pepper! Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Toby’s Feta Cheese Dressing and Dip

• Calories: 140
• Protein: 1g
• Carbohydrate: 1g
• Fat: 13g
• Sodium: 130mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Calcium: 30mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0.5g

If you like cheese, but don’t want the excess sodium or protein, consider this feta cheese dressing and dip from Toby’s that contains no potassium or phosphorus additives. Additional low sodium, kidney friendly salad dressing flavors include: Ranch, Jalapeno Ranch, Blue Cheese, Honey Mustard. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Runner up Brands to try:

These brands all tended to be a bit high in sodium, but they mostly contain no added phosphates. Be sure to check the labels.

• Bolthouse Farms
• Litehouse
• Marzetti Salad Dressings
• Primal Kitchen Salad Dressings
• Wegman’s Salad Dressings