Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (2024)

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Cameron Evans

2018-05-16T19:17:54Z

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (1)

You're probably not thinking abouthow much sugaryou're adding to your food when youreach for a bottle of ketchup, Sriracha, or barbecue sauce.Condiments don't count,right?

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Unfortunately, the sugar (and calories) in condiments canreally add up if you'renot cautious about the amount you're using.And it's easy to overdo it.

"Condiments aren't something that people use sparingly and many people don't think about serving sizes,"registered dietitian-nutritionist Brigitte Zeitlin told INSIDER.

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 arestaurant, 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.

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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.

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1. Sriracha

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (2)

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

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (3)

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.

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3. Ketchup

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (4)

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.

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4. Salsa

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (5)

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.

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5. Worcestershire sauce

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (6)

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.

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6. Barbecue sauce

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (7)

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 gramsof 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 tothe brand's site. And two tablespoons ofBull's Eye Original BBQ Sauce contain 12 grams of sugar, according to Kraft's website.

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7. Light or fat-free dressings

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (8)

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,Zeitlin told INSIDER.

For example,2 tablespoons of Ken's Fat-Free Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette has 11 grams of sugar and2 tablespoons ofKen's Fat-Free Raspberry Pecan Dressing has 8 grams of sugar, according tothe brand's website.

Zeitlin told INSIDER that it may be better to go for the regular, full-fat version of dressings.

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8. Teriyaki sauce

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (9)

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 tothe brand's website.

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9. Sweet relish

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (10)

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

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (11)

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.

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11. Hoisin sauce

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (12)

Sugar is the first ingredient listed in Kikkoman Hoisin Sauceand just two tablespoons contain 17 grams of sugar, according to the brand's website.

12. A.1. Sauce

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (13)

Not everyone putssauce on their steak, but for those that do,it's worth noting that one tablespoonof A.1. Sauce contains 2 grams of sugar, according to Kraft's website.

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13. Soy sauce

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (14)

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.

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14. Duck sauce

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (15)

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.

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15. Hot sauce

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (16)

Many hot sauces are free of sugar. For example,Frank's RedHot Original Sauce, Cholula Original Hot Sauce, andTabasco 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.

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16. Marinara sauce

Here's how much sugar is really in your favorite condiments (17)

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'smarinara sauce has 6 grams of sugar, according to Pizza Hut's website.

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