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Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Salad dressings

Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing

16 fl oz/473 mL

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in salt
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains seed oils
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 15

Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing scores 15 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. High fructose corn syrup: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  3. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

Better vinaigrettes and Italian dressings

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Light Italian Dressing

START100

Ingredients

  • High fructose corn syrup
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3][4]
  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Soybean oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [5][6][7][8]
  • Natural flavors
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [9][10]
  • Modified starch
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
  • Xanthan gum
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
  • Potassium sorbate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI of 11 mg/kg body weight (as sorbic acid); generally recognized as safe in the US. [11][12]
  • Calcium disodium EDTA
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [10]
subtotal−48

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [10]
  • 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), flavoring, industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate, modified starch, sequestrant and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [10]
subtotal−25.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 6.3 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some sugar. [1]
  • Salt 3.5 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in salt. [13]
subtotal−12
TOTAL 15Bad

100 − 85.5 = 14.5 → 15

Can’t score above 79. Contains high fructose corn syrup, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4]

Can’t score above 79. High in salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]

GTIN 00070200838116 · 2026-06-08

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy94 kcal
Fat6.3 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates6.3 g
Sugars6.3 g
Added sugars6.2 g
Fiber0 g
Protein0 g
Salt3.5 g

Serving: 2 tbsp (32 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

WATER, DISTILLED VINEGAR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, ROMANO CHEESE (MILK, SALT, CULTURES, ENZYMES), GARLIC*, EGG YOLK, SUGAR, NATURAL FLAVOR, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, XANTHAN GUM, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, SPICE, POTASSIUM SORBATE ADDED AS PRESERVATIVE, RED BELL PEPPER*, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA ADDED TO PROTECT FLAVOR, ANNATTO EXTRACT, BUTTERMILK SOLIDS, WHEY.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy, Egg

  • Not vegan
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest salad dressings in the US

More from Olive Garden

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. 21 CFR 184.1866 High fructose corn syrup

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Mar 24, 2023 · Law

    “a sweet, nutritive saccharide mixture containing either approximately 42 or 55 percent fructose”

    ecfr.gov

  5. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”

    doi.org

  6. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

    BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  7. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org

  8. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. 21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

    ecfr.gov

  10. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. Opinion on the follow-up of the re-evaluation of sorbic acid (E200) and potassium sorbate (E202) as food additives

    European Food Safety Authority · Mar 1, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “By applying a default uncertainty factor of 100, the Panel established a group ADI expressed as 11 mg sorbic acid/kg bw per day for sorbic acid (E 200) and its potassium salt (E 202).”

    doi.org

  12. 21 CFR 182.3640 Potassium sorbate

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 22, 2016 · Law

    ecfr.gov

  13. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”

    who.int

  14. Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

    Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

    “Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

    assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

  15. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”

    doi.org

  16. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org