French or Catalina dressing, fat free
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
A bright, tangy, and sweet salad dressing with a smooth, pourable consistency and a vibrant orange-red hue. It's a fat-free powerhouse of flavor, delivering a punchy mix of vinegar, tomato, and spices with a significant carbohydrate hit from sugar.
Calorie split: 1% protein · 98% carbs · 2% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People adore its signature sweet-and-sour punch that can transform a plain green salad into a lively dish. Its versatility extends beyond salads as a marinade, dipping sauce, or glaze, making it a beloved pantry staple.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The high sugar content (over 16g per 100g) can cause rapid blood-sugar spikes, especially concerning for diabetics. It's also typically high in sodium. To counteract, use it sparingly as a flavor accent rather than a drenching sauce, and pair your salad with a source of protein and healthy fat (like grilled chicken or avocado) to slow sugar absorption.
Key benefits
- Fat-free, making it very low in calories
- Adds bold flavor to salads without dietary fat
- Contains a small amount of dietary fiber
- Convenient, ready-to-use flavor enhancer
- Can help increase vegetable intake by making salads more palatable
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Despite its name, Catalina dressing is a distinctly American invention, likely named after the beautiful Catalina Island off the coast of California, not the Spanish region.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 65.0 g |
| Energy | 132 kcal |
| Protein | 0.20 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.27 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 32.1 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 16.4 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 5.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.58 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 3.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 0.00 mg |
| Potassium, K | 84.0 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 853 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.10 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.12 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 2.0 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.01 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.03 mg |
| Niacin | 0.11 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.00 mg |
| Folate, total | 14.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 14.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 14.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 4.0 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 4.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 38.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 15.0 ug |
| Lycopene | 319 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.02 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.10 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.04 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.01 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.14 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.05 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.03 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.05 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.06 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
FAQ
Is fat-free French dressing the same as Catalina dressing?
They are very similar and often used interchangeably, but traditional French dressing is usually a lighter orange, while Catalina is a deeper red and often has a slightly sweeter, more tomato-forward flavor profile.
Why is it called 'French' dressing in America?
The name is a historical misnomer. It likely originated in the 19th century as a generic term for a vinaigrette-style dressing, and the sweet, bottled American version diverged significantly from anything actually used in France.
Can I use this as a marinade?
Yes, its high sugar and acid content make it a good quick marinade for chicken or pork, but be careful not to marinate for too long (over 2 hours), as the acid can start to break down the meat's texture.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.32 kcal/g · 1% calories from protein · 2.2 g fiber · 16.4 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 10.15 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.