14 Healthy Condiments For the Clean Eater

By Kaitlin Bitz Candelaria | May 25, 2016
healthy condimentsI’m not saying healthy condiments can make or break healthy eating, but let’s just say that us southerners really love our dipping sauce.

When I began my first Whole30, giving up condiments was the hardest part! I found myself mourning my ketchup and making Paleo mayonnaise by the bucket full. And if I ever have to give up BBQ sauce for 30 days again I may go crazy.

But of course, I adapted. I learned what I could use — and used a lot of it — to make my food more flavorful. Since then, the market for creating healthier products has continued to explode. There are now several healthy options — or at least healthier options — on the market for almost any condiment you could think of.

14 Healthy Condiments For the Clean Eater

1. Tessemae’s Organic Ranch Dressing

There are definitely more exotic ways to add flavor to your food, but here in the South we slather ranch on…well, just about everything.

Ranch typically has a mayonnaise base, so it can be a source of bad fats if eaten in excess — and trust me when I say we all eat it in excess around here — and many brands of ranch also have lots of sneaky added sugars.

That’s where Tessemae’s comes in. Tessemae’s is actually a Whole30-approved brand and they make everything from ketchup to buffalo sauce. However, we’re still most impressed with the fact that they managed to make delicious ranch without using a single unhealthy ingredients!

2. Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

You may know them from their profane yet catchy commercials — but I do indeed put Frank’s on everything.

With an extremely basic ingredient list — cayenne peppers, distilled vinegar, water, salt and garlic powder — and no added sugar, Frank’s is by far the best choice for anyone looking to add a little heat to their food.

3. Classic Yellow Mustard

You wouldn’t expect something as bright yellow as mustard to be all natural, but in most cases, it is!

Go grab a bottle out of the fridge and you’ll see the ingredients are simple — water, vinegar, mustard seed, salt, turmeric (ah, that explains the color!) and paprika.

This tangy condiment is great for everything from burgers to salads and can even be a yummy dip for veggies if you’re feeling froggy.

4. Dijon Mustard

Classic yellow’s sour cousin, dijon mustard is also an extremely healthy option. Buyers beware — some brands use added sugar. For others, the ingredients list is almost as simple as mustard — but with a dash of apple cider vinegar to complete the distinct taste profile.

You can get creative with dijon mustard and add it to almost any dish for a tang. My personal favorite is this recipe by Holistically Engineered.

5. Guacamole

Looking for a great source of the good kind of fat? Guacamole is versatile — it can be used as a dip or as a delicious and fresh burger or sandwich topping.

Not only that, but it’s extremely easy to make — just grind up an avocado with some onion, tomato, salt, pepper and lime juice.

6. Paleo Mayo

I’ve never been a huge mayonnaise fan, but Paleo mayo became my best friend during my Whole30. When I wasn’t using it as salad dressing, I was throwing together chicken salad or using it as a dip.

Paleo mayo is relatively easy to make — combine an egg with a fat source (olive oil or avocado oil both taste good) along with a little vinegar, some salt and some lemon juice. You can mix it by hand if you aren’t picky about the texture or invest in an emulsion blender if you want to add a little whip to it.

7. Avjar

Avjar is a cross between salsa and tomato sauce and its rich umami flavor is legendary. It hails from Serbia and can be bought pre-made, although we’ve heard that homemade is just that much yummier.

Because of the versatile flavor, avjar can be used…pretty much on anything. Throw it on tacos, dip some veggies or meat into it or use it to add some kickin’ flavor to a soup or stew.

In fact, we’ve used avjar  to create some food magic in the FitnessHQ test kitchen before — you can check out our recipe for Red Pepper Meat Spread here.

8. Siracha

This spicy but sweet sauce is perfect to add a tang to anything — eggs, meat, veggies, sandwiches, tacos, soups and more.

healthy condimentsSiracha does have a sweet taste — a serving has only five calories but one gram of sugar, meaning it’s out for our Whole30 friends but otherwise makes a great addition to the healthy condiment arsenal.

9. Vinaigrette

A vinaigrette just refers to any sort of dressing with an olive oil and vinegar base. You can add various ingredients — fruits, herbs and more — to give vinaigrettes a unique vibe.

Trust us when we say vinaigrette will become your saving grace. Out at a restaurant with no healthy options? EVERYWHERE has a salad with a house vinaigrette. Like pretty much anything, some companies will add sugar, so be sure to keep a close eye on your ingredient labels.

10. Pesto

Pesto is a refreshing and simple way to add boatloads of flavor to salads, pasta or pasta substitutes (like spaghetti squash noodles) or even other condiments like hummus.

Pesto, which is generally made up of pine nuts, basil leaves, a few cloves of garlic, olive oil and salt, is super flavorful — a little bit goes a long way. You can also add other things like cheese or greek yogurt, depending on how “clean” you want it to be and your texture preference.

11. Hummus

Hummus is not Paleo or Whole30-friendly because it’s derived from chickpeas, which are considered legumes. However, hummus is still considered a relatively healthy snack as long as it’s consumed in small amounts.

Hummus is versatile and can be easily flavored with things like pesto, olive oil, garlic, roasted red peppers and more.

It only takes a few ingredients to make and is used primarily as a dip. We’re sure it can be used other ways too if we could stop dipping cucumbers in it long enough to try.

12. Sauerkraut

Don’t be afraid of sauerkraut as more than a hotdog topping. Not only is the flavor amazing, but sauerkraut promotes good gut health as well.

Look beyond the 99 cent cans that your family bought each year for cookouts. Many different companies offer sauerkraut in dozens of flavors — dill, carraway, beet and carrot and more.

I love to mix mine in with eggs or add it to a piece of deli meat for a quick and yummy roll up.

13. Ketchup

Ketchup gets a little bit of a bad rep and it’s not all that bad for you. Most of the ingredients are natural and it’s a classic condiment.

Many store bought varieties do contain some added sugar, but small amounts — like the amount you would use for fries or to go on a burger — aren’t enough to be problematic for most healthy eaters.

You also have the option to make your own at home if you’re on Whole30 or if you’ve eliminated all added sugars. A good recipe can also easily be tweaked to make sugar-free barbecue sauce as well.

14. Salsa

Salsa is so easy to make and so yummy. Throw it on scrambled eggs for a breakfast that packs a punch or pour it over pretty much any meat for a delicious combination.

Salsa is a relatively simple recipe — tomatoes, salt, lime juice, onion — but beware store-bought. A lot of brands sneak sugar in to enhance and preserve the flavor.

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