Can you get sugar free salad cream?: Navigating Healthier Choices

October 14, 2025 •

5 min read

According to a 2018 nutrition expert, traditional salad cream can contain surprisingly high amounts of sugar, alongside fats and salts, which can undermine an otherwise healthy meal. For those looking to reduce their sugar intake, the question arises: Can you get sugar free salad cream?

Quick Summary

This article explores commercial and homemade sugar-free options for salad cream. It details store-bought brands, provides simple recipes for healthier alternatives, and explains how to read food labels to make the best choices for your nutritional goals.

Key Points

Hidden Sugars in Regular Salad Cream: Traditional salad cream can be high in hidden sugars, fats, and sodium, which can negatively impact a healthy diet.
Available Sugar-Free Brands: Brands like The Skinny Food Co, G. Hughes, and Primal Kitchen offer various sugar-free dressings and alternatives in a range of flavors.
Homemade is Best for Control: Creating your own dressing at home, using bases like avocado oil or Greek yogurt, ensures complete control over sugar, fat, and artificial additives.
Beware 'Light' and 'Fat-Free' Options: Low-fat versions of dressings may increase their sugar content to maintain flavor, so it's crucial to check nutrition labels carefully.
Healthy Alternatives are Plentiful: Options like oil-based vinaigrettes with lemon or vinegar, and creamy dressings made with Greek yogurt or avocado, provide excellent nutritional benefits without sugar.
Read Labels to Make Informed Choices: Always check the nutrition facts, especially the added sugars, on store-bought dressings to align your choices with your health goals.

The Truth About Traditional Salad Cream

For many, a drizzle of creamy salad dressing is the finishing touch on a perfect salad. However, a common misconception is that all dressings are equally healthy. Traditional, store-bought salad cream, particularly in the UK, has historically been a significant source of hidden sugars. In fact, some varieties can contain up to 17 grams of sugar per 100 grams, along with high levels of fat and sodium, making it a less healthy option than many people believe. The typical recipe relies on a combination of water, spirit vinegar, oil, sugar, and egg yolks, with the sugar added to balance the sharpness of the vinegar. For individuals monitoring their sugar intake for weight management, diabetes, or a low-carb diet, this can make traditional salad cream a less-than-ideal choice.

Finding Sugar-Free Salad Cream in Stores

Fortunately, for those seeking convenient, ready-made solutions, the market has responded with several sugar-free options. While finding a product explicitly labeled as "sugar free salad cream" might require some searching, you can find numerous low-carb and sugar-free creamy dressings that offer a similar profile. These products often substitute sugar with alternative sweeteners like sucralose or stevia.

Examples of brands offering sugar-free alternatives include:

The Skinny Food Co: This company offers a "Virtually Zero Calorie Sugar Free Skinny Sauce" in a salad cream flavour. This is designed specifically for those on a calorie-controlled diet.
G. Hughes: This brand provides a variety of sugar-free dressings, such as Honey Dijon, Sweet, Raspberry, and Balsamic, using alternative sweeteners. While not a direct "salad cream," they can be a great, flavorful substitute.
Walden Farms: Known for its calorie-free, sugar-free products, Walden Farms has a range of dressings including Thousand Island and Honey Dijon, which can serve as a creamy base for salads.
Primal Kitchen: This brand specializes in dressings made with avocado oil, offering options like Ranch and Caesar that are Whole30-approved, Paleo, and Keto-certified.

Creating Your Own Sugar-Free Salad Cream at Home

Making your own dressing is an excellent way to have complete control over the ingredients and ensure it is truly sugar-free. Homemade versions also avoid the artificial preservatives often found in store-bought options.

Creamy and Tangy Homemade Salad Cream

This recipe provides a thick, tangy, and rich base for your salads without the added sugar. It's a great option for a classic flavor profile.

Ingredients:

2 large egg yolks (pasteurized for safety)
1/2 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1/2 tsp white pepper
Optional: 1/4 tsp stevia or other zero-carb sweetener, if desired

Instructions:

In a bowl or jar that fits an immersion blender, combine the egg yolks, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
Blend the ingredients to combine.
Slowly drizzle in the avocado or olive oil while blending continuously until the mixture is emulsified and thick.
Add a sweetener if you prefer a slightly sweet taste, and whisk to combine.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Greek Yogurt Ranch (Quick Alternative)

For a quicker, protein-rich option, a Greek yogurt-based dressing is a fantastic choice that offers a creamy consistency with a savory flavor profile.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp fresh herbs (dill, chives, parsley), chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.
Add a little water if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Use immediately or store in the fridge.

Comparing Dressing Options

This table outlines the key differences between traditional and sugar-free options to help you choose what's best for your diet.


Feature	Traditional Salad Cream	Store-Bought Sugar-Free Dressing	Homemade Sugar-Free Alternative
Sugar Content	High; often uses added sugar to balance flavor.	Zero or minimal added sugar; relies on artificial sweeteners.	Zero sugar; uses natural sweetness from ingredients or sweeteners if desired.
Fat Content	Moderate to high, depending on the product.	Variable; can be low-fat, but keto options are high in healthy fats.	Customizable; you choose the type and amount of oil, focusing on healthy fats.
Ingredients	Water, oil, egg yolks, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and preservatives.	Oil (often avocado or olive), vinegar, seasonings, thickeners, and alternative sweeteners.	Simple, fresh ingredients like oil, eggs, vinegar, and herbs.
Nutritional Control	Limited control over macros or additives.	Full nutritional info available, but may contain artificial additives.	Complete control over every ingredient and its nutritional profile.
Convenience	High; readily available in most supermarkets.	High; available in many health food stores or online.	Requires preparation time, but is quick and simple to make.

Making the Best Choice for a Healthy Diet

To ensure your dressing supports, rather than sabotages, your health goals, start by reading the ingredients list and nutrition facts. Pay special attention to added sugars and prioritize products with whole-food ingredients. For many, the best choice is a homemade version, as it gives you the most control over both taste and nutrition. Using a healthy oil base like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil and an acid like lemon juice or vinegar, combined with fresh herbs, is a simple, effective formula. If you opt for a store-bought version, be aware that "light" or "fat-free" dressings can sometimes compensate for lost flavor with extra sugar. By making informed choices, you can find or create a delicious and genuinely healthy dressing that complements your nutritious salad perfectly.

Conclusion

While conventional, high-sugar salad cream can easily be found, the good news for health-conscious consumers is that multiple sugar-free options exist. From specific sugar-free brands like The Skinny Food Co and G. Hughes to simple, wholesome homemade recipes, there are many ways to achieve a creamy, tangy flavor without the added sugar. Whether you prefer the convenience of store-bought or the customization of a DIY version, reading labels carefully and choosing natural ingredients are the keys to a genuinely healthy dressing. You absolutely can get sugar free salad cream, and finding it is a simple matter of knowing where to look or how to prepare it yourself. For more insights on food labels, refer to the FDA's guide on reading nutrition labels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, although a product explicitly named 'sugar free salad cream' may be rare, brands like The Skinny Food Co offer a 'Virtually Zero Calorie Sugar Free' version. Other brands like G. Hughes and Walden Farms also provide a variety of creamy, low-carb, and sugar-free dressings that serve as good alternatives.

Traditional salad cream recipes use added sugar to balance the tangy, acidic flavors from ingredients like vinegar. A 2018 report noted that some commercial salad creams contain up to 17 grams of sugar per 100 grams.

Salad cream is a runnier, tangier, and sweeter condiment than mayonnaise, which is richer and thicker. Mayonnaise has a higher oil content, while salad cream uses more vinegar and water, making it lower in fat but often higher in sugar.

A simple homemade version can be created by blending pasteurized egg yolks, avocado or olive oil, white wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard. For a quicker method, a Greek yogurt base with herbs and lemon juice offers a creamy, savory alternative.

Not necessarily. While they contain less fat, many 'light' or 'fat-free' dressings increase sugar content to enhance flavor. Always check the ingredients and nutrition facts, as they can sometimes contain more sugar than regular versions.

Beyond creamy alternatives, healthy choices include oil-and-vinegar-based vinaigrettes, tahini dressings, and dressings based on Greek yogurt or mashed avocado. These can be flavored with fresh herbs, garlic, and spices.

To choose a healthy dressing, prioritize products with simple, natural ingredients like olive oil or avocado oil, vinegar, and spices. Look for the lowest percentage of Daily Value (%DV) for added sugars and sodium on the nutrition label.