Hidden Valley Ranch dressing is one of the most popular salad dressings in the United States. Its creamy, tangy flavor goes well with all kinds of salads and vegetables. But is it suitable for people following a ketogenic or low-carb diet?
The Short Answer
The short answer is yes, Hidden Valley Ranch dressing is keto-friendly. A 2 tablespoon serving of regular Hidden Valley Ranch dressing contains only 2 grams of net carbs, making it easy to fit into a keto diet.
Explaining Net Carbs
To understand if a food is keto-friendly or not, you need to look at the net carb count rather than total carbs.
- Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols from total carbs, as they do not impact blood sugar levels significantly.
- For keto, you want to limit net carbs to 20-50 grams per day.
So regular Hidden Valley Ranch contains:
- 2g net carbs
- 2g total carbs
- 0g fiber
- 0g sugar alcohols
With just 2g net carbs per serving, Ranch dressing can easily be incorporated into a keto lifestyle.
Varieties to Choose and Avoid
You’ll want to stick to Hidden Valley’s original ranch dressing to keep net carbs low. Some other Hidden Valley varieties have slightly higher carb counts:
- Ranch Dips – 2-3g net carbs per 2 tbsp
- Bacon Ranch – 3g net carbs per 2 tbsp
- Blasted Ranch – 4g net carbs per 2 tbsp
Avoid low-fat or lite ranch dressings, as they often add more sugar to make up for fat that’s removed. Stick to full-fat original.
Serving Suggestions
When adding dressing to a salad, use Ranch sparingly rather than dousing your greens. Here are suggested serving sizes:
- 2-3 tablespoons as a salad dressing
- 1-2 tablespoons as a veggie dip
- 1 tablespoon as a sauce or marinade for chicken, steak, etc.
Getting into the habit of measuring dressing helps avoid excess carbs. An entire bottle of Ranch can add up fast!
Making Your Own Ranch at Home
You can also easily make keto-friendly Ranch dressing from scratch at home.
- Mix ranch seasoning packets (which are carb-free) with mayonnaise, sour cream, and/or heavy cream to create a quick no-carb ranch.
- Make ranch with yogurt instead of milk and mayo to lower carbs slightly.
- Experiment with different herbs and spices – dill, chives, garlic, onion, etc. – to create your own signature flavor.
Homemade allows you to control the quality of ingredients while keeping net carbs minimal.
The Bottom Line
Hidden Valley Ranch dressing can be part of a keto-friendly lifestyle when consumed in moderation. Stick to 2-3 tablespoons of the original, full-fat dressing per serving and make sure to track it in your daily macros and calorie intake. Making your own Ranch at home also lets you customize the flavor while guaranteeing its keto-friendliness.
So dip and dress to your heart’s content, ranch lovers! Just be mindful of portions.
