Regarding our recent collaboration with the TABASCO® brand, we wanted to ask a registered dietitian how hot sauces, specifically TABASCO® Sauce, compare to other condiments.
Walk down the condiments aisle of any grocery store and you’ll likely find a row of hot sauce bottles. Typically made with three main ingredients – aged red peppers, salt and distilled white vinegar – the first hot sauce is said to have been made by the Aztecs in 7000 BC!
But is hot sauce healthy compared to other condiments? Based on research, we asked registered dietitian Katherine Basbaum, MS, RD, whether these spices are good for you.
Potential health benefits of hot sauce
“Many of the reported health benefits of hot sauce are related to capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers,” Basbaum explains. Research has found that capsaicin may:
One caveat, Bussbaum says: While studies have shown a link between hot sauce and positive health outcomes, many of the studies used capsaicin at concentrations higher than what the average person would consume. That said, you’re unlikely to see significant benefits in a standard serving of hot sauce.
Hot sauce and other condiments
With 0 calories per 1 teaspoon serving, hot sauce is lower in calories than most other condiments. It also contains 0 grams of fat, making it a lower-fat option than mayonnaise (which has 11 grams of fat) or ranch (which has 16 grams of fat).
As for hot sauce comparisons, TABASCO® Sauce is by far one of the sauces with the lowest sodium content. “Some other hot sauce brands with similar flavor profiles have up to five times more sodium per teaspoon than TABASCO® sauce,” Basbaum noted.
Is hot sauce healthy?
Short answer: yes.
Longer answer: “There’s no question that hot sauce is a great way to help maintain a healthy diet because it adds a lot of flavor to foods with zero calories and little sodium,” Basbaum explains.
She adds that it’s a satisfying alternative to other sauces and dressings that are higher in fat, sugar or calories.
How to incorporate hot sauce into your diet
When it comes to adding hot sauce to your daily menu, a few shakes of the bottle can add a lot of flavor to almost any food or meal. But some of our favorites include:
Interesting facts: You can explore and save over 2,000 healthy recipes in MyFitnessPal.
Basbaum generally warns against overdoing any hot sauce, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.
If you’re curious about sodium content, you can always track your intake with MyFitnessPal. This way you can enjoy your daily dose of hot sauce without taking in too much salt.