While most condiments are sources of hidden sugar and unimaginable quantities of salt, there are a few out there that are close enough to healthy that it just might not be worth making your own version.
Ketchup – Reading labels, one could easily believe that ketchup is just tomato paste and sugar. First, tomatoes are #10 on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list of pesticide laden vegetables and fruits. So a healthy ketchup has to, first, be organic, then it would be better if it’s sugar-free. Try Thrive Market’s Organic, Sugar-free Ketchup, or Primal Kitchen’s Organic, Unsweetened Ketchup – they have a couple of options. Unfortunately Annie’s Naturals Organic contains sugar – but not a lot.
Mustard – Happily, mustard is in and of itself a pretty clean product. It’s mostly white vinegar, mustard seeds and spices. Be sure that it is organic (to weed out any GMO grains) and look for turmeric for its yellow color in lieu of yellow dye, mustard seed (instead of powder) plus “no sugar”. Some yellow mustard options might include Annie’s Naturals Organic Yellow Mustard as well as their Organic Dijon. Also check out Thrive Market’s Organic Mustards, too.
Tahini – Made from just sesame seeds and water, this ingredient can blossom into Tahini Dressing/Sauce with just the addition of some lemon juice and garlic. Or it can be the quiet ingredient in many sauces and dressings when you just want some creaminess but aren’t up for oils or mayo. It’s also shelf-stable even after opening, so it’s easy to keep it on hand. Almost any brand will meet the healthy test. Some are looser than others and therefore easier to use – but then you are getting more water and fewer sesame seeds J.
Salsa – Since salsa arrived on the culinary scene, it has been slowly outstripping ketchup in popularity. Since tomatoes are the base of most popular salsas, and since conventional tomatoes are grown with pesticides, it’s important to find organic versions. The other ingredients usually include onions, garlic, and hot peppers. Watch out for added sugar and very high sodium levels. Kirkland Organic Salsa does include some organic sugar but it is the seventh ingredient – just before vinegar and spices. So you might find that acceptable. Check out the ingredients in organic fresh salsas; they are usually cleaner than shelf-stable ones.
Worcestershire Sauce – A piquant condiment that easily boosts flavor and adds umami, traditional Lea & Perrin’s, although not organic, is pretty clean but still it contains some added sugar: White vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, onions, anchovies, garlic, gloves, tamarind extract, natural flavorings, chili pepper extract. If you eat a vegan diet, look for a brand that doesn’t contain anchovies. Annie’s Organic is also vegan and made with apple cider vinegar, molasses, soy sauce, cane sugar, tamarind paste, sea salt, cornstarch, Xanthan gum and dried alliums and spices.
Hot Sauces – There’s a world of options and whole stores (or at least whole walls) dedicated to hot sauces. The key considerations are salt and pesticides. Three well-known favorites are: Tabasco, probably the cleanest with just three ingredients (Distilled vinegar, aged frutescens red pepper, salt [only 35 mg per serving] – Scoville 3750 shu), Frank’s Red Hot (aged cayenne red peppers, distilled vinegar, water, salt and garlic powder – Scoville only 450 shu) and Huy Fong Sriracha chili (aka Rooster Sauce – jalapenos chiles, sugar, salt, distilled vinegar, potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite and xanthan gum, a thickener – Scoville 2200 shu).