Few meals are worse than a dry turkey sandwich or a bland hamburger. Condiments can be a great way to spice, flavor, or moisten otherwise flavorless fare. They can also destroy an otherwise healthy meal. Choosing healthy condiment options can be the difference between nutritious and diet disaster. Here, a list of eight condiments that will sabotage your meal—and the healthy options you should try in their place.
1. Mayonnaise. It should come as no surprise that mayonnaise ranks as the worst among all condiments. Offering little more than calories and fat, mayonnaise is the easiest way to go from wholesome to horrible. But exactly how bad is it? With 200 calories and 22 grams of fat (3 grams saturated) per two tablespoons, mayo is quite possibly the most unhealthy sandwich add-on out there. The easiest solution to your condiment conundrum would be Miracle Whip, which only accounts for 80 calories and 6 grams of fat per two tablespoons; however, if you want to go for the healthiest mayo alternate, opt for low-fat, plain yogurt.
2. Goober. Two-in-one deals are usually great ways to save. But when it comes to peanut butter and jelly, Goober (peanut butter and jelly in one jar) will not save you on calories. High in calories (240), fat (13 grams), and sugar (21 grams), this concoction, though convenient, is costly to your diet. If you're in the mood for some PB&J, go for sugar-free jam and all-natural peanut butter. Not only will it save you time at the gym, but it tastes great, too.
3. Ketchup. Sure, ketchup is low in calories and fat. And, yes, ketchup is made from tomatoes. So why is this innocuous condiment number three on our list of the worst? Ketchup has high levels of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)--which is commonly used to sweeten soda. As any nutritionist will tell you, HFCS plays a major roll in America's obesity epidemic. If you need something on that hamburger, go for organic ketchup. Organic ketchup contains much more lycopene, which may help prevent cancer. What's more, organic options don't contain HFCS.
4. Nutella. This hazelnut spread has been a cult classic among college students for years. Its rich, nutty flavor pairs wonderfully with bananas, peanut butter, and crepes, but the decadent spread does not come without a cost. Every two-tablespoon serving will add 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 20 grams of sugar to your meal. Before you add Nutella to your sandwich, be prepared to walk the 28 minutes you'll need to burn it off.
5. Cream Cheese. By itself, Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese has 100 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 30mg of cholesterol. If that wasn't bad enough, when added to its favorite partner in crime—the bagel—you can expect a whopping 450 calories, 21.5 grams of fat (12.5 grams saturated), and 60 milligrams of cholesterol. An easy substitution for an otherwise blasphemous breakfast is fat-free cream cheese on whole wheat bread or an English muffin.
6 and 7. (tie) Tartar Sauce and Honey Mustard. These two sauces are often connected with greasy, fried foods. Whether it is fried fish or chicken fingers, tartar sauce and honey mustard are guilty by association. Tartar sauce is high in fat and calories because its main ingredient (mayo) tops this very list. Honey mustard has 70 calories and 9 grams of sugar per serving--and that's not counting whatever it's smothering.
8. Cheese Whiz. Not many will consider cheese that comes from an aerosol can as a health food. Even so, the unhealthy proof is in the pudding—or the cheese. A two-tablespoon serving contains 91 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 541 milligrams of sodium. If you're a fan of all things cheesy and are looking for something to top your cracker, go for sharp cheddar cheese—made from milk.
