Pick of the bunch

Homemade dressings are easy to make, but they are even easier to buy. Should we be concerned about nutrition or just go by taste and price? We set out to help by comparing three leading brands of balsamic dressing for nutrition, cost and taste. The key ingredients of balsamic dressing are balsamic vinegar and oil. Tiny amounts of flavourings are also included like salt, herbs, garlic and sugar. A good quality commercial dressing will have a significant quantity of balsamic vinegar (not diluted with other vinegars) with heart-friendly oils such as olive or canola. The ratio of vinegar to oil can vary, which may be significant to people watching their weight who may prefer a dressing with less oil. Commercial dressings may also contain additives such as preservatives, thickeners and stabilisers. From a nutritional perspective, less of these is best. Interestingly, all three dressings tested had water as the main ingredient, which must be used to bulk out the product. Go for products you enjoy that have a good balsamic vinegar content (at least 29 per cent), and heart-friendly oils such as olive and canola. The fewer chemical additives the better. ● Products are tested by NZ Registered nutritionist Bronwen King and a diverse, randomly selected group.