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Old 09-02-2011, 11:11 AM
 
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I picked up salad dressing on the way to work today. I'm trying to use only olive oil, as I am convinced it is healthier than other oils.

The front of the label states: Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing.

After I ate my lunch, I happened to look at the ingredients. The first ingredient is water, followed by soybean oil. Olive oil appears farther down on the list, followed by salt.

Strange how the company is allowed to call the dressing "Olive Oil & Vinegar" when it is mostly soybean oil.
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Old 09-02-2011, 11:21 AM
 
Location: In a happy, quieter home now! :)
16,896 posts, read 16,034,077 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by missik999 View Post
I picked up salad dressing on the way to work today. I'm trying to use only olive oil, as I am convinced it is healthier than other oils.

The front of the label states: Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing.

After I ate my lunch, I happened to look at the ingredients. The first ingredient is water, followed by soybean oil. Olive oil appears farther down on the list, followed by salt.

Strange how the company is allowed to call the dressing "Olive Oil & Vinegar" when it is mostly soybean oil.
....return the product to the store and get your money back!
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Old 09-02-2011, 11:38 AM
 
5,346 posts, read 9,815,476 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rainroosty View Post
....return the product to the store and get your money back!

I plan to do this.....but I want to know how a product can be sold with deceptive labeling?
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Old 09-02-2011, 12:02 PM
 
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 32,907,188 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by missik999 View Post
I plan to do this.....but I want to know how a product can be sold with deceptive labeling?
That's the bigger issue -- false advertising. It's shameful, really.

There was a big brouhaha a couple of years ago, if I recall the timeline correctly, about the use of the word "light" on products.

It turns out that it didn't HAVE to refer to light in calories, light in fat, or anything healthy like that. Oh gosh, no... It could be that the product was light in color. Can you imagine?!? Ridiculous.
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Old 09-02-2011, 12:12 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,741,222 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by missik999 View Post
I plan to do this.....but I want to know how a product can be sold with deceptive labeling?
This happens all the time. I find commercial salad dressing has the worst ingredients.

Have you ever tried to make your own? Here are my pantry staples for homemade dressings:
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • canola oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • red wine vinegar
  • champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • dijon or whole grain mustard
  • honey or agave syrup
optional:
  • flavored balsamic vinegar (fig)
  • flavored olive oil (lemon, garlic, orange)
  • rice wine vinegar
  • flavored vinegar (raspberry, fig, pomegranate, orange, herb)
  • grapeseed oil

One of my faves: dijon mustard, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, a tiny bit of finely chopped onion, olive oil and maybe a bit of honey. I do not follow the conventional ratio of 4 parts oil to one part vinegar. I tend to do equal parts of oil and vinegar.

Shake this in a jar for about a minute, and let sit for an hour (not needed, but it is definitely better the next day). You have instant salad dressing from the pantry that is really good.

Other good combos:
  • In a blender/food processor: handful of fresh herbs (all besides rosemary), lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, 1 clove of garlic
  • apricot jam, dijon or whole grain mustard, champagne/apple cider/white wine vinegar, olive oil
  • freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon juice/lime juice, garlic or chives, olive oil, salt and pepper, ginger (optional, it is good either way)
  • ginger (juice or fresh), orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil
  • pomegranate juice (or molasses if you have it), ginger, mild vinegar like champagne, finely chopped onion, olive oil

Happy dressing making! I live to let the ones with onion sit for a few hours, since my stomach isn't too keen on raw onion. The ones above take 10 minutes max. I usually keep one or 2 homemade ones on hand. I have been experimenting with dressing made with a touch of jam over the past few weeks. So I can keep you posted. It is also pretty hard to mess up the homemade dressing. Since the key ingredients are pantry staples, you can always adjust the oil, vinegar, seasonings and sweetener to taste. Keep a mild vinegar on hand for when you are using citrus juice in case you don't have enough acid.

My commercial dressing of choice is trader joes balsamic, but it uses soybean oil/canola oil.
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Old 09-02-2011, 12:18 PM
 
Location: SW Missouri
15,853 posts, read 35,037,286 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by missik999 View Post
I plan to do this.....but I want to know how a product can be sold with deceptive labeling?
As long as it contains olive oil, it can include it on the label. It does not have to disclose the percentage or the *other* ingredients (except on the nutritional label, which you read).

I agree with the other posters who recommend making your own. Buy some organic, cold-pressed, "extra" virgin olive oil, and some Bragg's organic apple cider vinegar and season it with a little Himalayan salt and organic pepper, and baby, it don't get no better than that!

20yrsinBranson
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Old 09-02-2011, 12:47 PM
 
Location: Nantahala National Forest, NC
27,074 posts, read 11,736,529 times
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They will likely say if it has oo in it, they can do that....but very sneaky and just plain wrong, imo.

Quote:
Originally Posted by missik999 View Post
I plan to do this.....but I want to know how a product can be sold with deceptive labeling?
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Old 09-02-2011, 12:54 PM
 
25,619 posts, read 36,551,530 times
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Also the less ingredients the product has usually the healthier it is for you.

I try to stick with nothing more that four or five items for ingredients on premixed and package products that I don't prepare from scratch.

Example I only buy Organic peanut butter.. Only has peanuts and salt.

You can make a olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette in about five minutes at home. It will last for about two weeks in the fridge. Heck just pour a little EVOO and a good Balsamic Vinegar directly on your salad with a little kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.
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Old 09-02-2011, 05:43 PM
 
Location: Almost Paradise
1,671 posts, read 2,016,418 times
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"You can make a olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette in about five minutes at home. It will last for about two weeks in the fridge. Heck just pour a little EVOO and a good Balsamic Vinegar directly on your salad with a little kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper."

I agree BullDogDad--my favorite salad dressing for my big salad
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Old 09-02-2011, 06:48 PM
 
9,341 posts, read 29,589,104 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulldogdad View Post
You can make a olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette in about five minutes at home. It will last for about two weeks in the fridge. Heck just pour a little EVOO and a good Balsamic Vinegar directly on your salad with a little kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.
"Kosher" salt is a misnomer.

Almost all salts are kosher.

The coarse salt should be referred to as "koshering" salt because it is used to kosher cuts of kosher-slaughtered meat by placing the meat on an incline (with the lower level slightly over the sink) and then covering with koshering salt, allowing the salt-covered-meat to rest on the incline for an hour or so, to remove all the blood (salt is a natural absorbent). The koshering salt is then then washed off and discarded, carrying away the fluids absorbed.
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