Condiments make good food even better. After all, what’s a burger without ketchup and mustard? Or a taco without hot sauce? In the United States, many store brand condiments are loaded with sugars, meaning diabetics can’t enjoy as much of them, especially if they are watching their calorie intake.
But, you don’t have to put up with a plain sandwich for lunch.
Here are five condiments you can use liberally without worrying about their effects on your blood sugar levels.
#1 Mustard
This condiment is great on sandwiches and in dips and is also very low in fat and contains no added sugar. Feel free to add it your meals. Just remember that honey mustard sauces contain a lot more sugar, so you’ll need to limit intake of this sweet dipping sauce.
#2 Hot Sauce
If you can stand the heat break out the hot sauce for your meals, there are a range of these sauces made from cayenne, jalapeno, chipotle, and other peppers. Plus, hot sauce contains capsaicin, which is a potent anti-inflammatory.
#3 Pesto
This Italian sauce is made with fresh basil, pine nuts or walnuts, and olive oil. It has practically no sugar and offers healthy fats from the olive oil. If you have access to some fresh herbs, make up a jar of homemade pesto to use in pasta, fish, pizza, and sandwiches.
#4 Hummus
Another great dip, hummus is made from chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, and garlic. Packed with healthy carbohydrates and fats, and no added sugars. However, some brands available in the store may have additives like sugar or soybean oil. So, check the ingredients list if you are buying a pre-made hummus.
#5 Salsa
This is the ultimate veggie loaded condiment. It usually contains tomatoes, onion, and peppers with a squeeze or two of lemon juice. You may find that some store brands have added salt and sugars, which you want to avoid. With practice, you can make a good homemade salsa to use on tacos, burritos, in dips, on eggs, and anything else.
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