What condiments do we need avoid?

ulyssescomplido

I just started monitoring my food intake by myfitnesspal and found that it really works. Today, I had fish fillet for lunch and a few french fries. When I log the food that I ate, I can't believe it! I consume 188 calories just by eating approximately 2 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Hay.....

seltzermint555

I think it's more about the quantity. Switching to 1/2 T. of mayo would have been around 50 calories...not so bad, eh?

Also...Are you sure that you truly had 2 T. of mayo? That's quite a lot, especially with "a few french fries". Unless you were soaking each fry completely in mayo, I doubt you ate 2 T. Maybe more like 2 tsp? That's a huge difference, if so. Don't cheat yourself ;-)

For me personally this is a challenge with certain things, but it is worth it. I used to waste a lot more condiments too. Now I put it on my plate by portion and find that it is enough, but I don't have any left on the plate to wash and waste.

Good luck!

kr1stadee

Avoid the ones you don't like.

Measure and count the ones you do like, and use.

Unless you're on a low calorie diet, 188 cals isn't much to worry about.

3dogsrunning

You don't need to avoid any. It just really helps to know what you are consuming to help you decided how much. If you need to conserve calories you can always use less if you need to.
I use mayo to help hit my fat macro.

Ignaura

I don't eat mayo anymore, and choose butter instead. I avoid dressings and use a little bit of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I have also reduced how much salt I use.

UsedToBeHusky

I use the Smart Balance Omega Plus mayonnaise. It's 50 cals a tbsp and its made with unsaturated fats.

tigersword

Avoid the ones you don't like.

Measure and count the ones you do like, and use.

Unless you're on a low calorie diet, 188 cals isn't much to worry about.

/thread

lavaughan69

Luckily I'm not much of a condiment person. I've never liked ketchup all that much and I only use mayo if I happen to be having tuna. On wraps I started using ranch or caesar salad dressing and on hamburgers or hot dogs I use a Kraft hickory BBQ sauce. Try not to eliminate the things you love, just find a way to eat them within your calorie allotment. You'll find much more satisfaction that way.

JesterMFP

You don't need to avoid any (unless you don't like them, or are allergic or whatever). Eat what you like, and log it. Mayo is pretty high in calories, (so consider if it's worth reducing the amount you eat to fit it in better) but most condiments are such a tiny part of the overall calorie count of a meal. Maybe look at it as an opportunity to try other things. Chutney, chilli sauce, mustard, caramelised onions etc are lower in fat so have fewer calories than mayo.

Cyclingbonnie

I use the the condiments I like. I examine the caloric count and measure out the amount I'm willing to allow for that condiment. In actuality it takes very little of a condiment to enhance the flavor of something. When we don't measure we will eat a lot of unnecessary calories. When I say unnecessary I mean we eat more than was necessary to enhance the flavor. So a salad with 3 tablespoons of dressing tastes no better, than a salad with 1 tablespoon of dressing, but there is at least a 100-200 calorie difference.

So use the ones you like, try experimenting with others just to give you variety. You may find there are those you never or rarely used that you like. This will help make your lower calorie intake interesting and inviting and will help motivate you to stay with it.

csch79

Condiments are fine. Cut back a little on mayo and other high calorie condiments if needed to fit your goals.

Hot sauce is low calorie and works well on a lot of things if you like it. Franks and Texas Pete are both 0 calories per serving. I'm sure they have a few calories in them but not many.

Salsa can be used as a condiment too and is usually low calorie.

Laurayinz

I add Sriracha sauce whenever I can, even mixing it in mayo or ketchup to do the proverbial "kick it up a notch".

As said earlier, 188 isn't THAT much, depending on your daily goals (and did you measure that out? 2 TSP is 1/8 cup, sounds like a lot?), but if you want to cut back back on the mayo and fat, adding in something else with more flavor can be a good option.

rjgvt

I substitute avocado for mayo when I make tuna salad. I eat 1/2 of an avocado per day.

SoDamnHungry

I don't avoid any.

But when I'm calorie counting I tend to eat Miracle Whip Lite instead of Miracle Whip. And I eat mayonnaise less. I've been having Avocado on my sandwiches lately and it's pretty awesome.

qtgonewild

i avoid mayo (at home) and butter. If i go to subway, very rarely, I will have light mayo. just a litte. so i dont completely avoid it. Just dont have the calories to waste on it. thats just me and my plan tho.

Rogsman

Become a mustard fan, you can get multiple varieties of mustard very cheap and with dramatically different flavorings. It grows on you.

Same goes with hot sauces, Franks adds some heat while the Tabasco jalapeno flavor adds just a bit sour kick to anything.

I avoid everything else, saving the cals for something better.

endoftheside

When I read the title of your post the first thing I thought of was mayo. :laugh: 188 calories is over 10% of my daily intake, I would prefer that not to be "wasted" on a sauce, so I have been working on a food by food basis to make substitutions. One thing I do with fish & fries is to mix half mayo/half ketchup, plus a little relish, that cuts the calories down a lot but ups the sugar and sodium. In some things (like tuna on a bagel) I can use about half the calories worth of cream cheese instead of mayo. For some things, a yogurt based ranch will substitute nicely, again for about half the calories.

cwolfman13

I eat whatever condiments I like and account for them. It is largely about quantity and adjusting your quantity rather than avoidance. Things like mayo are going to be more calorie dense because they are made with oils which are calorie dense. Also, do not confuse caloric density with nutritional value...there are any number of foods that are very calorie dense but also very good for you and nutritionally dense...conversely, there are any number of low calorie foods which provide very little in the way of actual nutrition.

Mayo can be a good source of healthy fats in a well balanced diet...and it's good...

waltcote

i didn't do much mayo before though i luv it w/french fries. i've become a bigger salsa fan. i use some olive oil on my salads but also salsa for a kick. i have also discovered that a splash of tabasco on micrwave popcorn is really good!! :devil:

andrewj87

The only thing I've stopped using is regular mayo, swapped with Kraft Light mayo if necessary. Everything else is fair game in moderation!

kirkor

I avoid the high-calorie ones (mayo, ranch) because to me the calorie:flavor ratio isn't worth the trade-off in my daily calorie counting.
I stick with various hot sauces, mustards, vinegars, & salsas.

ticiaelizabeth

I found the majority of condiments that i enjoyed (mainly bbq sauce and mayo) were way too high in calories, salt or fat for my liking. Doesn't seem worth it to me, as i would prefer to save those calories for more meat or things like that. Spices are great for adding flavour without the added cals. But as others have said, if you really enjoy a particular condiment and it is worth it to you by all means use it, just be sure to measure.

ulyssescomplido

Thank you all for your informative and encouraging comments.