Do you use sauces?

You’re probably not thinking about how much sugar you’re adding to your food when you reach for a bottle of ketchup, Sriracha, or barbecue sauce. Condiments don’t count, right?

Unfortunately, the sugar (and calories) in condiments can really add up if you’re not cautious about the amount you’re using. And it’s easy to overdo it. Additionally, sugar can be disguised under many names such as high-fructose corn syrup, molasses, dextrose, fructose, honey, maltose, and glucose, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

To keep the amount of sugar you’re eating in check, try measuring your condiments. If you’re at a restaurant, Zeitlin suggested getting all of your dressings and sauces on the side and then measuring them with your spoon, which is typically slightly smaller than a tablespoon.

Reading nutrition labels and knowing the ingredients can also help prevent you from overdoing it. Here’s how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments.

1. Sriracha
One teaspoon of Sriracha sauce only contains 5 calories, but it also contains one gram of sugar, according to the nutritional label on a Sriracha bottle. That might not seem like very much, but few Sriracha enthusiasts will be satisfied with just one teaspoon.

2. Honey mustard
Yellow mustard might not have any sugar in it, but honey mustard does. One teaspoon of French’s Honey Mustard contains a little more than one gram of sugar, according to the brand’s website.

3. Ketchup
Ketchup is one of the biggest culprits among condiments that are high in sugar. Just one tablespoon of Heinz Ketchup contains 4 grams of sugar, according to the brand’s website.

4. Salsa
Two tablespoons of Mission Medium Chunky Salsa contain 2 grams of sugar, according to the brand’s website. Similarly, two tablespoons of Tostitos Medium Chunky Salsa contain 2 grams of sugar, according to the brand’s website. That might not seem like a lot, but you can easily consume multiple servings when you’re scooping it onto tortilla chips.

5. Worcestershire sauce
Although it’s unlikely that you’ll use a lot of Worcestershire sauce due to its strong flavor, it’s worth noting that one teaspoon of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce contains one gram of sugar, according to the brand’s website.

6. Barbecue sauce
The amount of sugar in your barbecue sauce depends on the brand you choose. But regardless of the brand, you can usually expect to be consuming at least 4 to 6 grams of sugar, according to Greatist.

High fructose corn syrup is the first ingredient in Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce. Just two tablespoons of the sauce contain 16 grams of sugar, according to the brand’s site. And two tablespoons of Bull’s Eye Original BBQ Sauce contain 12 grams of sugar, according to Kraft’s website.

7. Light or fat-free dressings
Low-fat or fat-free salad dressings often have more sugar and salt than the regular version to make up for some of the flavor that is lost when fat is removed. For example, 2 tablespoons of Ken’s Fat-Free Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette has 11 grams of sugar and 2 tablespoons of Ken’s Fat-Free Raspberry Pecan Dressing has 8 grams of sugar, according to the brand’s website.

8. Teriyaki sauce
Teriyaki sauce originated in Japan where it was made with soy sauce and spices but when it was introduced to Hawaii, Japanese-Americans added brown sugar and pineapple juice to sweeten the sauce you know and love today, according to Kikkoman. Just one tablespoon of Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce contains 2 grams of sugar, according to the brand’s website.

9. Sweet relish
Despite the name “sweet relish,” you might not guess that chopped up pickles could contain so much sugar. One tablespoon of Heinz Sweet Relish contains 3 grams of sugar, according to the brand’s website.

10. Miracle Whip
Although traditional mayonnaise doesn’t contain enough sugar to be listed on the nutrition label, Miracle Whip is a bit sweeter. One tablespoon of Miracle Whip contains one gram of sugar, according to Heinz’s website.

11. Hoisin sauce
Sugar is the first ingredient listed in Kikkoman Hoisin Sauce and just two tablespoons contain 17 grams of sugar, according to the brand’s website.
12. A.1. Sauce
Not everyone puts sauce on their steak, but for those that do, it’s worth noting that one tablespoon of A.1. Sauce contains 2 grams of sugar, according to Kraft’s website.

13. Soy sauce
You don’t have to worry about how much sugar is hiding in your soy sauce, as one tablespoon of Kikkoman Soy Sauce contains zero grams of sugar, according to the brand’s website.

But it is important to keep in mind that soy sauce is loaded with sodium. Just one tablespoon of Kikkoman Soy Sauce contains 920 milligrams of sodium, or 38% of your daily value, according to the brand’s website.

14. Duck sauce
Chinese takeout comes with no shortage of duck sauce.plastik klinik/Flickr
Despite the delicious contrast duck sauce provides to crunchy egg rolls and fried Chinese foods, it’s pretty much entirely sugar. Just one tablespoon of KA-ME Duck Sauce contains 8 grams of sugar, according to the brand’s website.

15. Hot sauce
Many hot sauces are free of sugar. For example, Frank’s RedHot Original Sauce, Cholula Original Hot Sauce, and Tabasco Original Red Sauce all contain zero grams of sugar per one teaspoon serving, according to each brand’s website. But it’s still important to read the nutrition label as there are countless hot sauces and some, like Sriracha, do contain sugar.

16. Marinara sauce
One 2-ounce dipping cup of Domino’s marinara sauce contains 4 grams of sugar, according to Domino’s website. Similarly, a 3-ounce cup of Pizza Hut’s marinara sauce has 6 grams of sugar, according to Pizza Hut’s website.

Stay healthy and don’t get too saucy! Let me know what your favourite sauces are!

Check out my related post:Milo, Ovaltine or Horlicks? The Malted Milk Wars

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Interesting reads:

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/sugar-salt-and-fat/sauces-ooh-saucy

http://www.sugarstacks.com/sauces.htm

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-much-sugar-in-food_us_57fd33f4e4b07d0498acffd2

http://www.healthyfoodguide.com.au/articles/2015/july/how-much-sugar-sauce

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-sugar-in-ketchup-bbq-sauce-condiments-2018-5

https://foodwatch.com.au/blog/carbs-sugars-and-fibres/item/i-spy-hidden-sugar-the-unsavoury-truth-of-savoury-sauces.html