by Jimmy Nightingale

In these days of watching what you eat, the humble salad is chock full of natural goodness, laden with vitamins and minerals. It is the traditional healthy choice and one of the few foods that you should be able to eat to your heart's content. Right?

Wrong. Salad without dressing can be rather bland and it is hard to add flavor without adding calories. Regular dressings are high in fat and even the "light" choices carry a heavy burden of calories. Eating a salad with just about any type of dressing and you may end up with the same or a higher calorie count that you would normally associate with less healthy food choices.

How do you get the balance right between a healthy meal and a great flavor?

Wishbone has introduced a range of Salad Spritzers to allow you to enjoy the best of both worlds. Wishbone Salad Spritzers are available in nine flavors and, at just one calorie per spray; it is flavor that you can enjoy guilt-free. My favorite is Balsamic Breeze, a blend of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, providing a bit of bite that is a perfect accompaniment to any salad dish.

It draws out the flavor of tomato and adds a bit of zest to an otherwise bland piece of lettuce. Try adding a teaspoon of salad seeds (a mixture of seeds, mainly sunflower and sesame) for some extra flavor. This also works great on a poached chicken and salad sandwich.

Wishbone Salad Spritzers are available in the following flavors*:

Balsamic Breeze Vinaigrette - a blend of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil (2% fat, 5% sodium, 10 calories)

Italian Vinaigrette - a blend of white wine vinegar and natural flavors (2% fat, 4% sodium, 10 calories)

Red Wine Mist Vinaigrette - cabernet sauvignon mixed with red wine vinegar and light oil (2% fat, 4% sodium, 10 calories)

Caesar Delight Vinaigrette - classic flavor, a mix of cheddar and romano cheeses, spices, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil (2% fat, 4% sodium, 10 calories)

French Flair Vinaigrette - the traditional French classic (2% fat, 3% sodium, 15 calories)

Raspberry Bliss Vinaigrette - a blend of raspberry juice and balsamic vinegar (1% fat, 4% sodium, 10 calories)

Asian Silk Vinaigrette - a sweet and spicy combination of soy, sesame, orange and spices (1% fat, 4% sodium, 10 calories)

Ranch Vinaigrette - a creamy alternative (2% fat, 3% sodium, 15 calories)

* nutritional information is based on a serving size of 10 sprays (about 8mL) for one cup of salad. See the links for full details and serving suggestions.

They are slightly more expensive than other dressings on the market. The advantage of Wishbone Salad Spritzers is that you can adjust the flavor to suit your individual taste, a couple of sprays for a subtle touch, more sprays if you like something stronger. The broad range of available flavors means that there is a Wishbone Salad Spritzer to suit just about everyone.

And best of all, Wishbone Salad Spritzers are not only low in fat and salt, they are also cholesterol free. So you really can enjoy the best of both worlds - a healthy salad that is full of flavor and free of guilt.