When you are on the keto diet, most sauces, dressings and dips are off limits because usually they are filled with unnecessary carbs and added sugar that may throw you off ketosis.
But, sometimes all you want is a side of tasty dressing along with grilled chicken, steak or on your keto chicken salad as a dressing.
Today, more and more brands are coming up with products that are tasty and have little to no carbs, and they are growing more and more in popularity. Kraft Ranch Dressings are a line of those products.
But, can you enjoy them on the keto diet? Keep on reading to find out everything you need to know about Kraft Ranch Dressing.
What Is Ranch Dressing?
Ranch dressing is a salad dressing that is usually made from a sauce base made from mayonnaise or other oil emulsion that is then mixed with buttermilk, onion, garlic, mustard, herbs- such as chives, parsley and dill, and spices- like pepper, paprika and ground mustard seeds.
Sometimes sour cream and yogurt are used as a substitute or as an addition to the buttermilk and mayonnaise.
Ranch dressing is most widely used in the United States, and it is the best-selling salad dressing since 1992.
In the US, ranch dressing is not used just on salads, but on many different foods and dishes. It is used as a dipping sauce for veggies like carrots and broccoli, as well as “bar foods” like french fries and chicken wings.
It goes especially well with deep fried foods like fried mushrooms, fried pickles, fried zucchini, onion rings, jalapeno poppers, fried chicken fingers, and hushpuppies. Ranch dressing is also used in addition to dishes such as pizza, tacos, wraps, pretzels, baked potatoes and hamburgers.
Basically, the possibilities for ranch dressing are endless.
Who created ranch dressing?
Ranch dressing was first developed by the plummer Steve Henson in the early 1950’s when he was working as a contractor in remote Alaskan bush for three years. He perfected his buttermilk dressing recipe while he was cooking for his coworkers. Since then, ranch dressing has become a staple in many kitchens.
Nutritional Facts
In the table below is the nutritional information of 1 serving of several Kraft Ranch Dressing, which is 2 tablespoons or 30 grams of sauce.
| Product | Calories | Fat | Protein | Total Carbs | Fiber | Net Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Classic Ranch Dressing | 110 kcal | 12 grams | 0 grams | 2 grams | 0 grams | 2 grams |
| Kraft Buttermilk Ranch Dressing | 120 kcal | 12 grams | 0 grams | 2 carbs | 0 grams | 2 grams |
| Kraft Three Cheese Ranch Dressing | 110 kcal | 11 grams | 0 grams | 2 grams | 0 grams | 2 grams |
| Kraft Cucumber Ranch Dressing | 110 kcal | 11 grams | 0 grams | 3 grams | 0 grams | 3 grams |
| Kraft Homestyle Ranch Dressing | 130 kcal | 13 grams | 0 grams | 2 grams | 0 grams | 2 grams |
| Kraft Peppercorn Ranch Dressing | 11 kcal | 11 grams | 0 grams | 2 grams | 0 grams | 2 grams |
Ingredients
All the different types of ranch dressing have some common ingredients and those are: water, soybean oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, modified food starch, xanthan gum, phosphoric acid (except cucumber ranch), polysorbate 60, sorbic acid, calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor).
| Product | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Kraft Classic Ranch Dressing | Contains less than 2% of Egg Yolks, Whey (From Milk), Garlic Juice, Buttermilk, Monosodium Glutamate, Phosphoric Acid, Spice, Artificial Color, Tartaric Acid, Artificial Flavor |
| Kraft Buttermilk Ranch Dressing | Egg Yolks, Contains less than 2% of Whey (From Milk), Dried Onions, Buttermilk, Monosodium Glutamate, Phosphoric Acid, Dried Garlic, Spice, Natural Flavor |
| Kraft Three Cheese Ranch Dressing | Parmesan Cheese, Buttermilk, Whey, Romano Cheese Made From Cow’s Milk, Milk, Phosphoric Acid, Spices, Dried Garlic, Sodium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Lactic Acid, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Annatto (color), Cheese Culture, Enzymes |
| Kraft Cucumber Ranch Dressing | Cucumber Juice, Dried Onions, Lactic Acid, Natural Flavor (contains Celery), Whey (from Milk), Spice |
| Kraft Homestyle Ranch Dressing | Egg Yolks, Whey, Buttermilk, Garlic, Phosphoric Acid, Natural Flavor, Monosodium Glutamate, Spice, Cultured Cream, Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Heavy Cream |
| Kraft Peppercorn Ranch Dressing | Whey (from Milk), Black Peppercorn, Dried Garlic, Phosphoric Acid, Lactic Acid, Natural Flavor |
Is the Kraft Classic Ranch Dressing gluten-free?
While it is not certified as gluten-free, if you look at the label and the ingredient list, Kraft Classic Ranch Dressing does not contain any ingredients that have gluten in it.
Can You Eat Kraft Ranch Dressing On The Keto Diet?
If we take a look at the table above that contains the nutritional information of a few types of Kraft ranch dressings, we can see that most of them have 2 grams of net carbs per serving (2 tbsp or 30 grams), with the exception of Kraft Cucumber Ranch Dressing, which has 3 grams per serving.
While that may seem like there are not many carbs in them, keep in mind that it is in just one serving of the product. Typically a 16 oz. bottle of ranch dressing contains about 16 servings of product.
If you look into the ingredients, the ranch dressings contain sugar, artificial colors and artificial flavors, soybean oil, modified food starch and calcium disodium EDTA as a preservative. And all those ingredients are not ketogenic and are avoided on the strict keto diet.
Overall, the Kraft Ranch Dressings are low in carbs, but they are highly processed and contain many non-ketogenic ingredients, so if you are following a strict keto diet, you should avoid these products.
However, if you are not on a strict keto diet and you do not mind processed foods or you are looking for foods that just fit your daily carbs, then Kraft Ranch Dressing is something you can consume.
We’re hoping for Kraft brand to release a keto-friendly line of products in the future.
Where To Buy?
You can find Kraft Ranch Dressing in common grocery stores. You can also order it online from sites like Amazon.com.
Bottom Line:
No, Kraft ranch dressing flavors are not strictly keto-friendly because of the ingredients such as sugar and starch, but they can be incorporated into general low-carb diets and regular diets.
The Kraft Classic Ranch Dressing has 2 grams of net carbs per serving (30 grams or 2 tbsp)
Conclusion
If you are on a low-carb diet and you do not mind consuming processed foods once in a while, then eating one of Kraft’s Ranch Dressings in moderation can be a great way to make an already tasty dish or snack even tastier so you can enjoy it even more.
However, if you are on a strict keto diet, then Kraft Ranch Dressings are definitely not for you as they are highly processed and contain non-ketogenic ingredients. The best way to make sure that what you consume is keto-friendly is to make the ranch dressing yourself.
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