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Thousand island vs. French dressing — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Victoria Mazmanyan by Victoria Mazmanyan | Last updated on December 01, 2022
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Contents
      1. Taste and Use
      2. Nutrition
        1. Macronutrients and Calories
          1. Calories
          2. Fats
          3. Carbohydrates
          4. Protein
        2. Vitamins
          1. Minerals
          2. Health Impact
            1. Sources.
            Thousand island
            vs
            French dressing

            Summary

            Thousand Island is based on a mix of mayonnaise and ketchup, while French dressing is mainly a mixture of oil, vinegar, and sugar.

            French dressing is lighter, usually used in salads, whereas Thousand Island is creamier, often used in sandwiches.

            Thousand Island is three times higher in fats compared to reduced-fat French dressing and a little higher in fats than regular French dressing.

            Thousand Island is lower in carbohydrates, four times higher in vitamins K and E, and richer in minerals.

            Table of contents

            1. Introduction
              1. Contents
                1. Taste and Use
                2. Nutrition
                  1. Macronutrients and Calories
                    1. Calories
                    2. Fats
                    3. Carbohydrates
                    4. Protein
                  2. Vitamins
                    1. Minerals
                    2. Health Impact
                      1. Sources.
                       

                      Introduction

                      Thousand Island and French dressing are two of the most popular American condiments. In this article, we will look at how much nutrition each dressing adds to a dish and how the two compare to each other overall.

                      Contents

                      Despite the name, French dressing is an American salad dressing, just like Thousand Island. Both condiments are also usually made with ketchup as the base. 

                      However, the most important ingredient in Thousand Island is mayonnaise, usually mixed with ketchup as the base. Depending on the recipe, Thousand Island can also contain finely chopped bell peppers, pickles, pimentos, olives, onions, horseradish, etc.

                      French dressing is based on a mix of vinegar, oil, and sugar. Due to these ingredients, the dressing was often referred to as vinaigrette. Vinaigrette is a dressing originating in France, which is made by mixing oil with vinegar. This is where French dressing gets its name.

                      French dressing can also contain paprika, mustard, onions, and various seasonings.

                      Taste and Use

                      As can be seen from their ingredients, Thousand Island, being a mayo-based dressing, is heavier and thicker, usually used in sandwiches. French dressing, on the other hand, is based on oil and vinegar and is, therefore, thinner and lighter, often used to add flavor to salads or other dishes.

                      While there are differences in flavors and textures, Thousand Island is more similar to Russian dressing, as both are based on a mixture of ketchup and mayonnaise. If interested, you can read more about how Thousand Island compares to Russian dressing.

                      French dressing more closely resembles Catalina dressing - a red-colored condiment that is also based on a mixture of oil, vinegar, and sugar.

                      Nutrition

                      The infographics below are presented for regular, commercial Thousand Island dressing and reduced-fat French dressing. We will also be looking at regular, commercial French dressing and seeing how it compares to Thousand Island (1).

                      Macronutrients and Calories

                      Thousand Island is denser in nutrients compared to reduced-fat French dressing. However, regular French dressing is nutritionally denser than Thousand Island, consisting of only 39% water and 61% nutrients. 

                      The average serving size per person is considered to be one tablespoon or 16g for both dressings.

                      Calories

                      Both condiments are high in fats and carbohydrates, which makes them high-calorie foods.

                      Thousand Island is significantly higher in calories compared to reduced-fat French dressing. However, it is a little lower in calories than regular French dressing.

                      Thousand Island provides 61 calories per tablespoon, while regular and reduced-fat French dressings contain 67 and 36 calories per tablespoon, respectively.

                      Fats

                      Thousand Island contains three times more fats compared to reduced-fat French dressing. However, regular French dressing is slightly higher in fats than Thousand Island.

                      The fat content of both condiments consists mainly of “healthy” unsaturated fats and fewer “unhealthy” saturated fats. Reduced-fat French dressing has a more favorable fat profile, containing very few saturated fats.

                      Thousand Island provides 26mg of cholesterol per 100g serving, while French dressing does not contain cholesterol. This can be explained by the mayonnaise found in Thousand Island.

                      Carbohydrates

                      French dressing is higher in carbohydrates than Thousand Island. Reduced-fat French dressing provides over 2 times more carbohydrates, while regular French dressing is only a little higher in carbs compared to Thousand Island.

                      French dressing is richer in both net carbs and dietary fiber.

                      Protein

                      Neither of these dressings is a great source of protein. Thousand Island is richer in protein than French dressing; however, it still provides only 1.1g of protein per 100g serving. 

                      Vitamins

                      Thousand Island and French dressing contain different sets of vitamins, and this vitamin profile changes depending on the ingredients.

                      Due to the mayonnaise, Thousand Island is usually about four times higher in vitamin E and vitamin K compared to French dressing. Thousand Island is also 60 times richer in vitamin B1.

                      French dressing contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, and folate, while Thousand Island is entirely absent in these. French dressing is also 2 times higher in vitamin A. 

                      Vitamin Comparison

                      Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                      Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 4.7% 80% 0% 361% 13% 7.8% 0% 0% 0% 173% 0% 2.5%
                      Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 16% 9% 20% 0% 6% 12% 8.8% 0% 13% 0% 45% 1.5% 2.2%
                      Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +300%
                      Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +5920.8%
                      Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +11.5%
                      Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +288.2%
                      Contains more CholineCholine +15%
                      Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +∞%
                      Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +92.9%
                      Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +11.7%
                      Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +∞%
                      Contains more FolateFolate +∞%
                      ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
                      ~equal in Vitamin B5 ~0mg
                      ~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

                      Minerals

                      These two condiments are similar in mineral content. However, Thousand Island is overall richer in minerals.

                      Thousand Island contains higher levels of phosphorus, iron, calcium, and zinc. At the same time, French dressing is a better source of copper.

                      Reduced-fat French dressing is higher in sodium than regular French dressing. However, Thousand Island contains even more sodium, falling in the top 6% of foods as a source of sodium.

                      Mineral Comparison

                      Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                      Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 5.7% 5.1% 9.4% 44% 0% 7.1% 12% 125% 5.2% 8.2%
                      Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 5.7% 3.3% 9.4% 27% 53% 5.5% 6.9% 109% 14% 8.7%
                      Contains more CalciumCalcium +54.5%
                      Contains more IronIron +61.6%
                      Contains more ZincZinc +30%
                      Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +68.8%
                      Contains more CopperCopper +∞%
                      Contains less SodiumSodium -12.9%
                      Contains more ManganeseManganese +175%
                      ~equal in Magnesium ~8mg
                      ~equal in Potassium ~107mg
                      ~equal in Selenium ~1.6µg

                      Health Impact

                      Cardiovascular Health

                      Research has found a direct correlation between higher sodium intake and increased cardiovascular disease risk. The lowest risk of cardiovascular events and death occurs in people consuming an average sodium intake of 3 to 5g per day (2).

                      Thousand Island and French dressing are both very high in sodium, falling in the top 10% of foods as a source of sodium. However, Thousand Island is higher in sodium compared to French dressing.

                      Increased olive oil consumption, along with decreased mayonnaise consumption, has been studied to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality (3). This indicates that French dressing made with olive oil might be healthier than Thousand Island.

                      Oral Health

                      Enamel erosion is the loss of the tooth enamel, which normally covers the tooth, protecting it from harm. Erosion is usually caused by acidic foods, such as vinegar and lemon juice. 

                      French dressing has been researched to cause more dental wear compared to Thousand Island (4). 

                      Bone Health

                      Vitamin K plays an important role in a vital role in regulating blood clotting and bone health (5). As mentioned above, Thousand Island is four times higher in vitamin K than French dressing.
                       

                      Sources.

                      1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171414/nutrients
                      2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25767289/
                      3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0735109721081481?via%3Dihub
                      4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33491378/ 
                      5. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminK-HealthProfessional/
                      Article author photo Victoria Mazmanyan
                      Education: General Medicine at YSMU
                      Last updated: December 01, 2022
                      Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

                      Infographic

                      Thousand island vs French dressing infographic
                      Infographic link

                      All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                      Nutrient Thousand island French dressing DV% diff.
                      Vitamin B1 1.445mg 0.024mg 118%
                      Polyunsaturated fat 18.22g 3.852g 96%
                      Vitamin K 69.1µg 17.8µg 43%
                      Fats 35.06g 11.52g 36%
                      Vitamin E 4mg 1mg 20%
                      Saturated fat 5.092g 0.842g 19%
                      Copper 0mg 0.16mg 18%
                      Cholesterol 26mg 0mg 9%
                      Calories 379kcal 222kcal 8%
                      Monounsaturated fat 7.881g 4.518g 8%
                      Carbs 14.64g 31.22g 6%
                      Iron 1.18mg 0.73mg 6%
                      Sodium 962mg 838mg 5%
                      Fructose 4g 5%
                      Vitamin C 0mg 4.8mg 5%
                      Vitamin B6 0mg 0.055mg 4%
                      Fiber 0.8g 1.5g 3%
                      Manganese 0.04mg 0.11mg 3%
                      Phosphorus 27mg 16mg 2%
                      Zinc 0.26mg 0.2mg 1%
                      Vitamin A 14µg 27µg 1%
                      Protein 1.09g 0.58g 1%
                      Calcium 17mg 11mg 1%
                      Folate 0µg 2µg 1%
                      Net carbs 13.84g 29.72g N/A
                      Magnesium 8mg 8mg 0%
                      Potassium 107mg 107mg 0%
                      Sugar 15.18g 16.86g N/A
                      Selenium 1.5µg 1.6µg 0%
                      Vitamin B2 0.058mg 0.052mg 0%
                      Vitamin B3 0.418mg 0.467mg 0%
                      Choline 4.6mg 4mg 0%
                      Tryptophan 0mg 0.003mg 0%
                      Threonine 0mg 0.014mg 0%
                      Isoleucine 0mg 0.01mg 0%
                      Leucine 0mg 0.015mg 0%
                      Lysine 0mg 0.017mg 0%
                      Methionine 0mg 0.002mg 0%
                      Phenylalanine 0mg 0.016mg 0%
                      Valine 0mg 0.01mg 0%
                      Histidine 0mg 0.008mg 0%

                      Macronutrient Comparison

                      Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                      35% 15% 47% 3%
                      Protein: 1.09 g
                      Fats: 35.06 g
                      Carbs: 14.64 g
                      Water: 46.51 g
                      Other: 2.7 g
                      12% 31% 54% 2%
                      Protein: 0.58 g
                      Fats: 11.52 g
                      Carbs: 31.22 g
                      Water: 54.28 g
                      Other: 2.4 g
                      Contains more ProteinProtein +87.9%
                      Contains more FatsFats +204.3%
                      Contains more OtherOther +12.5%
                      Contains more CarbsCarbs +113.3%
                      Contains more WaterWater +16.7%

                      Fat Type Comparison

                      Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                      16% 25% 58%
                      Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 5.092 g
                      Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 7.881 g
                      Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 18.22 g
                      9% 49% 42%
                      Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 0.842 g
                      Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 4.518 g
                      Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 3.852 g
                      Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat +74.4%
                      Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +373%
                      Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat -83.5%

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                      References

                      All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                      1. Thousand island - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171402/nutrients
                      2. French dressing - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171404/nutrients

                      All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                      Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.