31/07/2021
If you’re counting calories, condiments are one of those things that are very easy to ignore.
A little ketchup on the side? No biggie. Some ranch to dip your pizza crust in? Sure.
But if you don’t account for those calories, they can sneak up on ya.
Don’t misinterpret what I’m saying- there’s nothing wrong with condiments! They’re delicious, and I welcome ‘em all. But, many people will use them them and discount the calories they’re consuming, and in certain cases that can mean 100s of extra calories unaccounted for.
We have two guides here: 2 tbsp, and 2oz. Why these sizes?
2 Tbsp is the gold standard for sides, and it’s roughly equal to 2 of those little paper ketchup cups, assuming you fill them up like a civilized human being and not like a monster.
2oz is double that, and it’s the size of a standard side at restaurants. If you get a side dressing, that will typically come in a 2oz container.
All condiments are certainly not created equally. Some contain very minimal calories and are nothing to sweat. Others, like aioli, can really sneak up on you with nearly 400 calories.
There are many different brands of each condiment, and SO many variations/flavors of each, so this guide certainly doesn’t cover it all.
For example, I almost always go with a no-sugar-added ketchup or a sugar-free BBQ sauce, which brings the calories down from what is listed here. So, there are definitely other options.
A quick note on mustard: most mustard lists 0 calories, but the FDA says that anything under 5 calories can be listed as 0. Most mustard has 3 calories per teaspoon even though it lists 0, which is where that number is coming from.
The same goes for hot sauce, which will have a minimal amount of calories even though it lists 0. Sriracha will sometimes list 0, but most should have roughly 5 calories per teaspoon.
Now let’s put the calories to the side. You can only have ONE condiment for the rest of your life, what are you choosing?
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