Whether you’re tucking into a juicy burger or enjoying a fresh side salad, the chances are you’ve got a favourite condiment to bring the flavours of your food to life.
But, as delicious as these sauces are, there’s a pesky sugar content hiding within them. Could your favourite be causing problems for your teeth? We’ve ranked some of the most popular condiments from highest sugar content to lowest. Here’s what we found:
#1: Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Sauce
Sweet chilli sauce is a versatile condiment; it can compliment a salad and breathe life into a chicken sandwich, not to mention it makes a fabulous dipping sauce for those after a sweet hit with a fiery kick. But sadly, sweet chilli sauce is renowned for being high in sugar, which spells bad news for our teeth. In a single 25g serving of sweet chilli sauce, you’re consuming around 13.7g of sugar!
Now, we’re not here to be the fun police and tell you to banish sweet chilli sauce from your kitchen cupboards. Just be aware of the recommended serving size and, where possible, look for the reduced sugar alternatives if you want to ensure that tooth decay stays at bay.
#2: Heinz BBQ Sauce
This sweet, smoky condiment is delicious alongside crispy potato wedges or smothered over barbecued chicken, but a 25g serving of the sauce contains a surprising 7.1g of sugar.
Again, we’re not telling you to avoid this brand of BBQ sauce at all costs. We’re simply advising you to make sure you don’t go too wild with the squeezy bottle, as you may be going over the recommended serving size without realising, thus causing havoc for your gnashers.
#3: Heinz Tomato Ketchup
Arguably one of the most popular condiments in the UK, ketchup is another sauce known for its high sugar content. A 25g serving of the red stuff contains 5.7g of sugar. That might not sound like a lot in the grand scheme of things, but if you’re piling a lot of ketchup onto your burgers or giving yourself a hearty dollop to dip your chips into, the chances are you’re consuming a lot of hidden sugar.
But don’t worry. As with sweet chilli sauce, you can keep your teeth happy by purchasing low-sugar versions of tomato ketchup as an alternative.
#4: Flying Goose Sriracha Sauce
For those with a penchant for hot and spicy food, sriracha is a perfect marinade for ribs or chicken, as well as drizzling onto chips, scrambled eggs or even salads. Sriracha might not seem like the sweetest of sauces, but a 25g serving of the Flying Goose variety does in fact have a sugar content of 5.5g. The good news is, a little goes a long way with Sriracha, so you don’t really need to add much to pack a punch into your food.
#5: Heinz Burger Sauce
Nothing compliments a BBQ feast quite like a good quality burger sauce. The recommended serving size of 25g of this sauce contains 3g of sugar, so as long as you don’t smother your burger in it, your teeth won’t complain! What’s more, if you like a lot of lettuce in your burger bun, you’re doing your choppers a favour. Leafy greens can actually clean your teeth as you eat them, which counteracts any staining potential from condiments.
#6: Doritos Mild Salsa Dip
We’re now reaching the low-sugar section of our condiments list. Doritos Mild Salsa only contains 1.03g of sugar per 25g, but beware of what you dip into it. Tortilla chips can get stuck between the gaps of your teeth, which can eventually lead to tooth decay if they go undiscovered. This can be even more of a problem for those undergoing orthodontic treatment, as it’s difficult to reach the gaps between the brace and your teeth with a toothbrush, meaning that any little shards of crisp stuck there might fall under the radar.
#7: French’s Mustard
If you’re looking for a low-sugar condiment to add flavour to your hot dogs, look no further than French’s mustard. Not only does this tangy sauce contain 0 calories or fat, it’s also free of sugar!
Though it won’t give you tooth decay, mustard does have the power to stain teeth, thanks to its high acidity level. If you can’t resist a blob of mustard on your salads or sandwiches, try chewing gum afterwards. This stimulates the flow of saliva, which acts as a natural detergent to remove tooth stains. Failing that, simply rinse your mouth with water.
#8: Hellman’s Mayonnaise
Mayo is another tooth-friendly condiment, as it doesn’t contain any sugar at all. But before you go mixing an entire jar of Hellman’s into your sandwich fillings, bear in mind that a single serving of mayonnaise contains 10 grams of fat. So whilst your teeth might thank you for going over the recommended serving suggestion, your waistline might not!
#9: Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
If you have brave taste buds, you might prefer a bit of hot sauce to enhance the flavour of your grub. Frank’s Red Hot Sauce is an excellent choice for this, as it doesn’t have any sugar in it at all. It’s also fat-free too, so you can enjoy this spicy condiment without guilt, whether you’re using it to flavour your chicken wings, drizzling it over nachos or mixing it into your scrambled eggs.
If you’re worried about the damage sugar can have on your teeth, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to put your mind at ease and restore your smile to its full health with our wonderful range of treatments, from teeth whitening to Invisalign.