The Pros and Cons of Condiments

[Guest guest]

By LaRue Huget

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Washington Post

When President Obama and Vice President Biden stepped out recently for a

couple of burgers, pundits and other observers had a lot to say about the

topping each chose. As you'll recall, the president asked for mustard,

preferably a Dijon style, while the vice president went for ketchup.

Now that the cookout season is upon us, I think this is information we can

all use. So here's the scoop on the sauces, plus some thoughts on healthful

alternatives.

Ketchup

What's Good: A tablespoon of Heinz ketchup has just 15 calories and no fat.

Its main ingredient is tomato concentrate made from actual tomatoes, which

contain Vitamin C, folate and potassium. As you may already know, processing

tomatoes to create products such as ketchup actually concentrates the

lycopene therein; studies have found a correlation between lycopene, an

antioxidant, and a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, some cancers

and macular degeneration.

What's Bad: Though it doesn't taste all that salty, ketchup has lots of

sodium: That single tablespoon delivers 190 milligrams (mg), about 8 percent

of the recommended daily limit (between 1,500 and 2,300 mg) for most people.

(Yes, Heinz contains high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, as do many processed

foods. But the latest research suggests that the syrup, though icky in its

ubiquity, is no worse for us than regular sugar.)

What's Better Than Store-Bought: Homemade ketchup can be made with fresh or

canned tomatoes; either way, it will contain about the same nutrients as

store-bought, including lycopene. It's typically sweetened with brown sugar,

which some may find more palatable than HFCS. Calorie count is about the

same for both. But by making your own, you can adjust the salt and sugar

levels to your own taste; every teaspoon of sugar you eliminate saves 15

calories from the total recipe.

Want an Alternative? Salsa, which recently bypassed ketchup as the nation's

top-selling condiment, can be a more healthful choice, particularly if you

buy a refrigerated version rather than one sold in room-temperature jars;

the latter are more likely to contain added sweeteners and sodium. If you

don't mind swapping ketchup's smooth mouth feel for salsa's more crisp

texture, you can get a few extra nutritious vegetables -- such as sweet and

hot peppers and onions -- in addition to tomatoes, for fewer calories (about

five per tablespoon).

Mayonnaise

What's Good: Mayonnaise is made mostly of eggs and oil; eggs are a good

source of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that appears to

promote cardiovascular health. Look for mayo made with olive or canola oil,

both of which are also good for your heart. Don't worry much about the

cholesterol: Even full-fat mayo has just five grams per tablespoon, and the

Hellman's variety made with canola oil has no cholesterol. Canola-based mayo

also provides six grams of calcium and 6 percent of the

government-established daily value of Vitamin E per tablespoon plus 25

percent of the daily value for alpha-linolenic acid.

What's Bad: Full-fat mayonnaise has about 90 calories per tablespoon and 10

grams of fat; the same amount of a reduced-fat variety has 35 calories and

3.5 grams of fat. And watch out for the sodium: 130 mg per tablespoon.

What's Better Than Store-Bought: Homemade mayonnaise is a creamy luxury that

can be made with fewer than a half-dozen ingredients: eggs, oil, and salt

plus some lemon juice or vinegar and, in some recipes, a bit of mustard.

Though it's more caloric than store-bought (about 130 calories per

tablespoon, according to one recipe), it's so rich, a little goes a long

way. As with ketchup, making mayo at home lets you adjust the salt, and you

can choose your preferred oil and use eggs with extra omega-3s. While

salmonella contamination from raw eggs is fairly rare these days, it's still

a concern, especially for little kids and pregnant women, so using

pasteurized eggs might be your safest bet.

Want an Alternative? If it's smooth creaminess you're after, why not mash up

a ripe avocado and spread it on your burger bun? Avocado, like mayonnaise,

is pretty much pure fat (about five grams per tablespoon) -- but most of it

is oleic acid, the kind that's good for your cardiovascular system. You'll

also be getting potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure, and

heart-healthy folate, all for about 55 calories per tablespoon.

Mustard

What's Good: Dijon (such as Grey Poupon) and plain yellow (such as French's)

mustards both contain mustard seed, which is full of selenium, a nutrient

thought to protect against some cancers, and omega-3 fatty acids. The little

seeds are also surprisingly good sources of iron, calcium, zinc, manganese,

magnesium, protein, niacin and even fiber. Plain yellow mustard also

features turmeric, a spice common to Indian cooking that has recently

received attention in the West for its anti-inflammatory properties. Neither

has any fat, and both kinds are low in calories: Dijon has about the same as

ketchup, 15 per tablespoon, and yellow mustard boasts zero per serving!

What's Bad: Dijon has lots of sodium: 360 mg per tablespoon. Yellow has 165

mg.

What's Better Than Store-Bought: Mustard recipes abound and allow you to

adjust seasonings (including sodium) and how coarse your mustard will be.

Aside from that, though, there's no real nutritional advantage to making

your own.

Want an Alternative? Since mustard is already so healthful, why bother?

Pickle Relish

What's Good: Despite being sweetened with HFCS, pickle relish is low in

calories: just 10 per tablespoon. It's also lower in sodium than you might

expect, with just 85 mg in that tablespoon.

What's Bad: The artificial color can make it look kind of creepy, but the

only concern -- and it's a minor one -- in that bottle of Claussen's is the

sodium benzoate, to which some people have allergic reactions.

What's Better Than Store-Bought: You can whip up a batch of pickle relish

(using store-bought pickles or ones you've canned yourself) in no time, and

the fresh peppers and onions you use will add vitamins and other nutrients.

Plus, homemade relish is much more appetizing in appearance than the

eerie-green glop you buy at the store. Bonus: Some recipes call for mustard

seed -- and you already know how healthful that is!

Want an Alternative? Try sauerkraut. This pungent pickled cabbage provides a

bit of fiber and a little bit of Vitamin C for just 2.5 calories per

tablespoon; its sodium content, at 90 mg per tablespoon, is comparable to

relish's.