Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (2025)

Table of Contents

No. 12. Mayonnaise No. 11. Ranch No. 10. Tartar sauce No. 9: Relish No. 8. Barbecue sauce No. 7. Sriracha No. 6. Ketchup No. 5. Soy Sauce No. 4. Dijon Mustard No. 3. Pico de gallo No. 2. Hot sauce No. 1. Mustard FAQs

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Science

Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer

2016-06-21T19:40:55Z

Ranch vs. ketchup:It can sometimes be a tough call picking the right condiments to top your fries or burger.

But which one will get you the most nutrition relative to the number of calories and fatit contains? We sought to find out whatcondiment ranked the best.

To compile this ranking, we tried to assess condiments you'd commonly find on the tables of a restaurant (not including salt, pepper, butter — more along the sauce variety), so apologies if your go-tois left off the list.

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (1)

And to keep things comparable, we looked at everything in increments of one tablespoon (though, for some condiments that may be way too much or not even close to enough). We also went off the USDA's nutrition facts, unless a brand name was clearly identified,so there may be some variability between products.

Check out where your favorites ended up.

No. 12. Mayonnaise

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (2)

You knew this creamy, fat-filled goodness made out of egg yolks and oil couldn't go far up on the list. With 10 grams of fat, mayonnaise isn't the best choice of condiments.

Calories per tablespoon: 94

No. 11. Ranch

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (3)

As tempting as it may be to dip your veggies (or fried cheese curds) in ranch, it just barely does better than its cousin,mayonnaise. At 8 grams of fat per tablespoon, you may be better off skipping the dip.

Calories per tablespoon: 73

No. 10. Tartar sauce

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (4)

The classic seafood condiment tartar sauce continues the trend thatcreamy sauces belong toward the bottom of the list. But, it has less than half the calories per tablespoon as ranch and one-quarter the fat content of mayonnaise.

Calories per tablespoon: 31

No. 9: Relish

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (5)

Pickle relish, a heartier condiment that's frequently associated with hot dogs, distinguishes itself from the pack with 4.4 grams of sugar pertablespoon. That, coupled with the 122 milligrams of sodium per tablespoon, relegates relish to No. 10.

Calories per tablespoon: 20

No. 8. Barbecue sauce

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (6)

Not far ahead is barbecue sauce, the sweetest on the list with 6 grams of sugar per tablespoon. Barbecue sauce does tend to have more potassium though, which bumps up its ranking.

Calories per tablespoon: 29

No. 7. Sriracha

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (7)

Sriracha gets its heat from chili peppers, which by themselves have very few calories. It has no fat, but it does have 3 grams of sugar per tablespoon.

Calories per tablespoon: 15

No. 6. Ketchup

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (8)

Ketchup, the staple of pretty much every restaurant's condiment selection, actually contains a small amount of potassium. Thoughat 54 mg per tablespoon (only 1% of daily intake), the potassium in ketchup isn't as much as you would get eating a tomato.

Calories per tablespoon: 19

No. 5. Soy Sauce

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (9)

A tablespoon of soy sauce contains a whopping 36% of your daily sodium intake, though it otherwise doesn't contain much nutritional value. Of the condiments on the list, soy sauce contains the most protein, at 1.3 grams per tablespoon.

Calories per tablespoon: 9

No. 4. Dijon Mustard

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (10)

Dijon mustard also packs a lot of sodium, at about 360 milligrams per tablespoon, which sets it back on the list. In addition tomustard seed and vinegar, Dijon mustard contains white wine, which sets it apart from standard yellow mustard.

Calories per tablespoon: 15

No. 3. Pico de gallo

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (11)

Pico de gallo, the simple fresh salsa, is composedof tomato, onion, spices, and lime juice, is low in calories and sodium, bumping it up to the No. 3 spot.

Calories per tablespoon: 5

No. 2. Hot sauce

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (12)

Believe it or not, Tabasco doesn't have any calories. All it has is peppers, salt, and vinegar, and because it's all in such small quantities, it rounds down to a clean zero. So feel free to pack on the spice, assuming you're a fan.

Calories per tablespoon: 0

No. 1. Mustard

Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you (13)

Yellow mustard, packed with spices like turmeric and paprika (not to mention mustard seeds) takes the cake in this ranking. It edges out over the zero-calorie Tabascoonly because of its slightly lower sodium content and small amount of potassium. Of those on the list, mustard had the lowest amount of sodium.

Calories per tablespoon: 7

FAQs

What's the worst condiment for you? ›

8 worst condiments for your health that you should stop putting on your food, from honey mustard to fat-free salad dressing

Mayonnaise. ...
Ketchup. ...
Honey mustard. ...
BBQ sauce. ...
Ranch dressing. ...
Soy sauce. ...
Sour cream. ...
Fat-free salad dressing.

Jun 29, 2024

Discover More Details ›

Why are condiments bad for you? ›

If you love food that's full of flavour, you may find yourself adding condiments or sauces to give meals an extra kick. But ready-made sauces can contain a surprising amount of fat, sugar and salt. Over time, consuming too much of these can damage your health.

Show Me More ›

What are the best condiments for weight loss? ›

Mustard, hot sauce, salsa, apple cider vinegar, Greek yogurt, sauerkraut and nutritional yeast are excellent, healthy condiments that provide flavor without sabotaging your progress. Limit high-calorie condiments like mayonnaise, BBQ sauce and ranch dressing.

Get More Info Here ›

What condiments are good for high cholesterol? ›

Choose sodium-free or low sodium options to flavour your foods:

	GREAT CHOICES	GOOD CHOICES
Condiments	Fresh or dried herbs, unsalted spices and seasonings (garlic powder, celery powder, etc). Lemon juice, vinegar Flavouring extracts	Sodium-reduced ketchup, soy sauce, BBQ sauces Mustard, horseradish

What is the #1 condiment? ›

Many consider mayo to be the top condiment in the U.S.

Tell Me More ›

What is the healthiest condiment in the world? ›

What is the healthiest condiment?

Guacamole.
Mustard.
Balsamic Vinegar.
Salsa.
Hot sauce.
Tzatziki.
Hummus.
Pesto.

Mar 17, 2024

Learn More Now ›

Is ketchup a bad condiment? ›

Ketchup is relatively low in calories, but loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. A better option is a low-sugar, organic ketchup—or better yet, make your own!

See Details ›

Is mayonnaise unhealthy? ›

Mayonnaise's nutritional profile is a mix of both healthy and not-so-healthy aspects. While it contains healthy fats from oil and essential nutrients from egg yolks, it can also be high in calories and saturated fats. Moderation is key when consuming mayonnaise to avoid negative health impacts.

Learn More Now ›

Is mustard an unhealthy condiment? ›

Mustard can also be a healthy pick, adding lots of flavor without many calories or sugar, Young says.

Find Out More ›

What drink breaks down cholesterol? ›

What is the best drink to lower cholesterol?

Green tea.
Soy milk.
Oat milk.
Tomato juice.
Berry smoothies.
Plant milk smoothies.
Drinks and spreads fortified with plant sterols and stanols.
Cocoa (dark chocolate) based drinks.

Nov 3, 2022

Get More Info ›

Is pasta bad for cholesterol? ›

Pasta can be bad for cholesterol, as can other refined carbohydrates such as white bread and white rice. Pasta doesn't contain cholesterol, but it is high in carbohydrates. Some types of carbohydrates can affect cholesterol levels, so it's important to eat the right kind of pasta along with healthier sauces and sides.

Get More Info Here ›

Is cheese bad for cholesterol? ›

REALITY. You don't have to cut cheese out of your diet, but if you have high cholesterol or blood pressure, use high-fat cheeses sparingly. A 30g portion of cheese provides seven per cent of your daily calories and there can be more salt in a portion of cheddar than in a packet of crisps.

Keep Reading ›

Is mayo worse than ketchup? ›

Compared with its competitor mayonnaise, ketchup has no fat and far fewer calories per tablespoon (mayo contains 103 calories, 12 grams fat). This makes it a healthier choice for those trying to cut out added calories. Processed and cooked tomatoes were also found to have high levels of the antioxidant lycopene.