The 12 Condiments I Ate Constantly On My 45 lb Fat Loss Journey Because I Refused To Give Up Sauces And Dressings
If you’re also the type to order extra ranch with everything, this might be an eye opener.
by Audie Metcalf
Ugh, I love sauces. Sauces are what make life worth living. Dips? I can’t get enough. My dream is ordering a salad at a restaurant and requesting every dressing they have on the side. French fries? Mayo on the side plz. Burger? Drowning in ketchup. Baked potato? Crushed in sour cream.
And embarrassingly, I never thought about the calories. They’re … on the side. They’re whatever. An afterthought.
But once I started my health journey and had to confront the actual daily number of calories I was consuming, I was gobsmacked by condiments. Most sauces and dips and dressings are shockingly high in calories and can sneakily be sabotaging all your hard work. BUT! I’m not a girl who can live without a condiment. It’s just a must. So how to square it? Well. I’ve spent two years trying, testing, discarding, and compiling the most delicious but lowest calorie list of condiments, most of which I eat every day. And now I pass this perfect list to you.
1. Cava Tzatziki/ Greek Green Goddess/ Traditional Hummus
What: Cava Tzatziki, Greek Green Goddess, and Traditional Hummus
Where to buy: Whole Foods
Why it’s good: This brand is SO very good. Low in cals, incredibly tasty, simple ingredients.
Notes: I loooove making a lamb burger with the tzatziki along with roasted red peppers and arugula. Heaven. Hummus is perfect on everything including the glue for almost any sandwich. And the green goddess I tuck into with mini peppers OR I thin it out with lemon and water and use it as a creamy salad dressing.
2. Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Maple Syrup
What: Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Maple Syrup
Where to buy: Amazon
Why it’s good: Shockingly low cals for shockingly mapley flavor. It uses monk fruit which is recognized as a safe and even healthy sugar alternative, along with allulose which we write about here) which is also recognized as safe, though there’s more nuance to it than monk fruit.
Notes: I used this on French toast made from keto bread when I want to feel a flake of normalcy in eating indulgent-seeming foods. I also make a supremely filling overnight oats with just a half cup of oats/yogurt/milk, along with a tbsp each of chia and flax seed, and then a big pour of this for sweetness. I top it with strawberries and frozen blueberries in the morning and it keeps me full for hourrrrs.
3. All Of These Sauces
What: Primal Kitchen No Soy Teriyaki, Classic BBQ Sauce, Original Buffalo Sauce, Golden BBQ Sauce, Organic Steak Sauce
Where to buy: Amazon
Why they’re good: They all taste amazing, have “clean” ingredients, and are generally excellent.
Notes: I was dumb and thought all Primal Kitchen sauces were good choices for me because it’s very easy to equate “healthy” with “low calorie” and that’s often not the case. Most of their sauces and dressings are not any lower calorie than any random sauce or dressing on the shelf—they just use avocado oil instead of the typical seed oils. Which means they are “clean” but it doesn’t not mean they are “low calorie.” But my collection above are all low in cals because most have zero oil.
4. Truff Black Truffle Salt
What: Truff Black Truffle Salt
Where to buy: Amazon
Why it’s good: You do have to love truffle obvs, but it’s such an easy, quick way to add a huge burst of flavor to bland things for zero cals.
Notes: Scrambled eggs. Every morning.
5. Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa
What: Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa
Where to buy: Amazon
Why it’s good: This is, without a doubt, the best store-bought salsa available. I tried them all. And when I say that, I mean I have actually, literally tried them all.
Notes: At 5 cals a tbsp, salsa is a truly smart condiment hack. Love this on THESE breakfast tacos.
6. Land O Lakes Light Butter With Canola Oil
What: Land O Lakes Light Butter With Canola Oil
Where to buy: This can be tricky to find, but it’s at my L.A. chain Ralph’s, but you may have to google to find it near you
Why it’s good: Regular, full fat butter is categorically “better” for you than canola oil. That is just a fact. But sometimes we are imperfect and our overarching goals of health as it relates to weight reduction trump that fact. This butter is half the cals of regular butter so it’s possible to incorporate it more seamlessly into a calorie deficit. Plus, sometimes toast with butter is just an essential part of a happy life.
Notes: Eat regular butter moderately if you can. (I can’t). But try this if you’re struggling.
7. Bragg Organic Oil-Free Vinaigrette
What: Bragg Organic Oil-Free Vinaigrette
Where to buy: Amazon
Why it’s good: I’m making up for recommending you eat inflaming seed oils above by now recommending what is perhaps the “cleanest” bottled salad dressing that actually tastes delicious. Balance!
Notes: This dressing has ZERO oil which is staggering because it tastes rich and flavorful, and it means I can eat HUGE salads as part of every dinner which is a genius way to get full.
8. Nonna Pia’s Balsamic Glaze
What: Nonna Pia’s Balsamic Glaze
Where to buy: Amazon
Why it’s good: A syrupy balsamic is, of course, a must in any full, happy life. I love this one because it feels the thickest to me and thickness in any sauce is key.
Notes: You know how a platter of fresh, summer tomatoes is the greatest gift we can all enjoy? I used to slather mine with copious glugs of olive oil, but now I only use this balsamic (and, of course, this salt) and I don’t even miss it. I actually wrote an ode to the perfect bite of food here which you should only click on if you deeply, deeply love tomatoes.
9. Primal Kitchen Unsweetened Organic Ketchup
What: Primal Kitchen Unsweetened Organic Ketchup
Where to buy: Amazon
Why it’s good: Allllllways buy low sugar ketchup. Ketchup is normally a sugar bomb. You won’t even notice a diff. Plus, this one is half the cals of regular.
Notes: I don’t think we need notes on ketchup.
10. Cucina Antica La Pizza
What: Cucina Antica Pizza Sauce
Where to buy: Amazon
Why it’s good: I believe this is the lowest calorie red sauce and it’s definitely the most delish. I’ve tried others from more…let’s call them “mainstream” brands, and they’re inedible.
Notes: I mix this with cottage cheese fresh oregano and homemade chicken tenders and it’s a perfect low cal not-sad girl dinner that mimics chicken parm.
11. Best Foods Light Mayonnaise
What: Best Foods Light Mayonnaise
Where to buy: Amazon
Why it’s good: This is 35 cals vs 100 cals in regular Hellman’s. Sorry, Best Foods. (I’m from the East Coast) And it’s the least disgusting “light” version of mayo I’ve tried, and I’ve tried them all. I think we still have a ways to go with mayo but sorry, I’m not making a tuna salad with yogurt. I’m just not.
Notes: This isn’t amazing, but necessary for certain things.
12. Good & Gather Light Sour Cream
What: Good & Gather Light Sour Cream
Where to buy: Target
Why it’s good: I think I’ve earned your trust when it comes to sauces and dips and dressings, yes? And so now I need you to trust me when I tell you I have tried every full fat sour cream, every brand of sour cream, and every light sour cream. Because, like mayonnaise, my life is not worth living without sour cream. And this sour cream is SO DELICIOUS I truly don’t know that it’s “light.” I slather a tbsp on sweet potatoes, on top of an omelette with lots of chives, or, depending on the day, straight into my mouth. It’s the savory girl’s version of shooting Reddi Whip. Just joking. OR AM I?
Notes: I think I gave you plenty of horrifying visuals above. But seriously. Try this sour cream.
Audie Metcalf is the Editor-in-chief of The Candidly, and lives in LA with her family. You can find more of her articles here.
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We have to eat.