The Hidden High Calories in Condiments

By Allie Firestone, DivineCaroline

I just had a healthy-eating wake-up call.

After purchasing a few sessions with a trainer at my gym, I started writing down what I was eating. When I proudly showed up with my dutifully recorded log of healthy meals, I was expecting praise and maybe even a congratulatory high-five for my smart eating choices. After Sarah, my trainer, quickly tracked her finger down my neatly typed pages, she looked up at me and said, “Let’s talk about condiments.” Turns out, as she quickly explained, my seemingly innocent squirts and scoops were quietly adding on hundreds of calories to all of my meals.

In hopes of becoming better informed about what I put in my body, I took a closer look. All it takes is a glance down the grocery aisles to confirm that we’re a condiment-crazed culture. From breakfast to dinner, and all our sips and nibbles in between, how much are these seemingly harmless add-ons really adding up?

The Truth Is in the Numbers
Not all savory and sweet additions are a bad choice, but the truth is that most of our average condiments pack huge amounts of high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, sodium, and oil. Think barbecued chicken is a healthy choice? Not exactly. Because the sauce is pretty much all sugar, this slathered dish is like a dessert and an entree all wrapped up on one high-calorie plate. Added sugar and any chemical-sounding ingredients on an item’s label are sure signs that a condiment is inching an entree toward the dessert category. Health-food stores usually have versions of ketchup, barbecue sauce, and all our other usual favorites sans these icky additions.

Whatever your condiment of choice–fries smothered in ketchup, salad drenched in dressing, toast soaked in butter–you won’t be dunking recklessly anymore if you read on.

1 of 3

Read more: Diet & Nutrition, Eating for Health, Food

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Steven Gregory D.

6:53AM PDT on May 1, 2010

Thanks for sharing...I'm just surprised that you left out Thousand Island Dressing, or McDs special sauce, since that is such a popular salad dressing!

send a green star

JE L.

7:00PM PST on Mar 13, 2010

Thanks.

Crystal B.

7:42PM PST on Mar 8, 2010

Wow, i knew these added calories but....man thats an eye opener. Lots of added fat and calories.

Ligia J.

2:39AM PST on Mar 8, 2010

interesting

Nellie K A.

1:16PM PST on Mar 7, 2010

I don't eat BBQ often so I don't have to worry about it.

Past Member .

7:49PM PST on Mar 6, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ31Ljd9T_Y

UNBELIEVABLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elaine D.

12:41PM PST on Mar 5, 2010

might be a lot of hidden calories but some of it taste really good

No S.

6:50AM PST on Mar 5, 2010

Interesting point of view. I think very few of use manage to think of calories within condiments.

When balancing taste with health/calories a lot of us find it hard to cross to the other side of the barrier.

In addition to what you presented, I would suggest as a basic rule to avoid the following 8 UNHEALTHIEST FOODS:

1. Burgers
2. Bacon
3. French Fries and Patato Chips
4. Hot Dogs

Read more here:

http://www.the-perfectshape.com/2007/10/03/top-8-unhealthiest-foods/

Brenda S.

6:58PM PST on Mar 4, 2010

thanks for the info

Jason L.

4:32PM PST on Mar 4, 2010

This (and cost) is why I started making all my own sauces, gravies, and dressings at home this year. After some experimentation, I can whip up pretty much any sauce fairly quickly and I have total control over the ingredients.