What are the best low calorie condiments to use?

Condiments can make or break a healthy diet. While they add lots of flavor to foods, many are loaded with calories, fat, and sodium. Choosing low calorie condiments is key to keeping your meals and snacks light. Luckily, there are many delicious options to flavor up dishes without derailing your health goals. In this article we talk about What are the best low calorie condiments to use.

What Are Condiments?

Condiments refer to sauces, dressings, spreads, dips, and toppings that are added to foods to provide extra taste. Common condiments include ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressings, marinades, mustard, relish, salsa, guacamole, hummus, soy sauce, and hot sauce. Gravies and some jams or jellies also fall into the condiment category.

While condiments make food more exciting, many pack a stealthy calorie punch, with some containing over 100 calories per tablespoon. The good news is that lighter options are widely available, so you can add zing without expanding your waistline.

Benefits of Low Calorie Condiments

Choosing low calorie condiment options offers several advantages:

• Fewer calories per serving – Lower calorie condiments allow you to flavor foods without overdoing it on calories. This makes it easier to meet weight loss or maintenance goals.
• Less fat and sodium – Many reduced calorie condiments also have less unhealthy fats and sodium than the full-fat, sugary versions. This supports heart health.
• Nutrient rich options – Some low calorie condiments like salsa and hummus contain beneficial nutrients including vitamin C, fiber, plant compounds, and healthy fats.
• Versatility – Light condiments like lemon juice, hot sauce, vinegar, herbs, and spices make it easy to add lots of taste to foods for few calories.

Best Low Calorie Condiment Choices

Fortunately, shops now stock a wide selection of low calorie condiment products. Some smart choices in each category include:

Salad Dressings – Newman’s Own Lighten Up Salad Dressings, Walden Farms Calorie Free Salad Dressings
Salsa – Pace Picante Sauce, Chi-Chi’s Lower Sodium Salsa
Relish – Vlasic Kosher Dill Relish
Soy Sauce – Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce, La Choy Lite Soy Sauce
Hot Sauce – Cholula Hot Sauce, Tabasco Sauce
Barbeque Sauce – Sweet Baby Ray’s No Sugar Added BBQ Sauces
Steak Sauce – Heinz 57 Sauce
Tartar Sauce – Kraft Light Tartar Sauce
Hummus – Cava Hummus, Sabra Light Hummus
Guacamole – Wholly Guacamole Minis, Trader Joe’s Chunky Guacamole
Sour Cream – Daisy Light Sour Cream, Breakstone’s Fat Free Sour Cream
Peanut Butter – Jif Creamy Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
Jam and Jelly – Smucker’s Low Sugar Jam, Crofter’s Organic Just Fruit Spreads
Syrup – Walden Farms Pancake Syrup, Mrs. Butterworth’s Sugar Free Syrups
Enchilada Sauce – Las Palmas Reduced Sodium Enchilada Sauce
Fish Sauce – Tiparos Lower Sodium Fish Sauce
Vinegars – Balsamic, rice wine, red wine, or apple cider vinegar
Lemon/Lime Juice
All Natural Herbs and Spices – Oregano, basil, cilantro, rosemary, thyme, garlic, onion, pepper

Tips for Choosing the Best Low Calorie Condiments

• Compare nutrition labels and select options lowest in calories, fat, and sodium
• Opt for condiments marked “light,” “low-fat,” or “no sugar added”
• Choose condiments made with whole, natural ingredients when possible
• Look for condiments that offer added nutrients like vitamins, fiber, or protein
• Mix Greek yogurt or avocado with lemon juice and herbs for healthy dressings
• Create your own healthy ketchup and salsa recipes at home

How to Use Low Calorie Condiments

The possibilities are endless when using low calorie condiments to add flavor without excess calories. Get creative with these ideas:

• Top salads with low fat dressing, salsa, or a squeeze of citrus
• Mix marinades and bastes for chicken, fish, and veggies with mustard, vinegar, and herbs
• Make tacos, fajitas, and bowls more flavorful with salsa and guacamole
• Add a dash of hot sauce or splash of vinegar to soups, grains, and roasted veggies
• Spread peanut butter or light hummus on whole grain toast or apples
• Drizzle balsamic glaze on Caprese salads and fruit
• Kick up oatmeal and yogurt with almond butter, jam, and cinnamon
• Brighten up baked potatoes and sweet potatoes with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream

The possibilities are truly endless when you load up your pantry with delicious, better-for-you condiment options. With so many varieties to choose from, you can add lots of flavor to healthy foods without adding extra calories or sodium. Experiment until you find your perfect combinations! I sincerely hope you find this “What are the best low calorie condiments to use?” article helpful.