Typically, the creamier the salad dressing, the more calories and saturated fats it contains, but Gidus notes that Italian dressing isn’t significantly better than ranch, blue cheese or honey mustard. (At Pizza Hut, for example, the Italian dressing saves you just 10 calories compared to the creamy Ceasar.)

Low-fat dressing offer the real calorie saving. At McDonald’s, a pocket of  Newman’s Own Ranch Dressing contains 170 calories, compared to 40 calories for packet of low-fat balsamic vinaigrette. At Subway, honey mustard and ranch dressing contain 200 calories per serving; fat-free Italian has just 35.