Healthy Condiments 

"And unhealthy condiments"

I'm sure you can think of a lot of unhealthy condiment's as 

Mayonnaise:

One of the first ingredient's listed in most mayonnaise is refined processed soybean oil (the main ingredient) so, mayonnaise in NOT a healthy condiment. Mayonnaise also creates internal inflammation which also harms your omega - 3 and omega - 6 balance with excess omega - 6 fats. Tartar sauce has the same effects as mayonnaise so its not a healthy condiment either. If you must have mayonnaise the healthiest choice would be a mayo made with 100% olive oil instead of soy bean oil.

Ketchup?  Not really:

Tomatoes are the main ingredient in ketchup so you do get the beneficial nutrient of lycopene, However, ketchup also contains a high percentage of sugar and most companies put high fructose corn syrup. Not really a healthy condiment. If you want to use ketchup just try to keep the portion size down to limit your sugar intake.

BBQ Sauce?  Nope:

In reality bbq sauce is more bad for you then ketchup, It has higher levels of sugar and HFCS and lower levels of tomato.

Salad Dressing?

As most of you know by now there are not many healthy salad dressings, most salad dressings contain HFCS and soybean oil and "or"" canola oil as the main ingredient. All of witch are unhealthy for your body.

The (fat -free) Dressings are actually loaded with extra sugar. Also, remember that you will need a good fat source to go with your salad so your body will be able to absorb the vitamins and minerals found in the vegetables. So, again fat free salad dressings are not a good option. Most salad dressings that claim to be made with olive oil only have a small amount while unhealthy soybean and canola oils make up the main ingredient. Making salad dressings  NOT a healthy condiment.

So, what are the top 5 healthiest condiments?

Below, I give you my top 5 choices for the healthiest condiments for a lean healthy body. Sure, there might be a few not on this list that are also healthy, but these are my top 5 picks:

1. Mustard

Mustard is a great choice, that's why its on my healthy condiments list. For one, it does not contain any added sugar. Mustard seed by itself is a great antioxidant's. Also most mustard seeds in the yellowiest form contain turmeric (anti cancer spice) and also paprika, both containing antioxidant's.

2. Guacamole

Avocados and guacamole is a great condiment to use because avocados contain (healthy fat) that help keep your hunger at bay and also help support your hormone balance. They is tons of fiber and also vitamin's, mineral's and antioxidant's. Avocado also helps burn stomach fat.

Guacamole can be added to a lot of different foods such as eggs, on burgers, on chicken or fish, or just eat it with veggie sticks. If you buy pre made guacamole from the store that's fine just be sure to check the ingredients to make sure there is not any trans fat or other artificial ingredient's. Making guacamole is so simple and easy you can just make it at home.

3. Salsa

Although ketchup was on the unhealthy list due to the sugar content, salsa makes the super healthy list as it almost never has added sugars if you get a good brand. Salsa is mostly just vegetables so it's hard to go wrong. I like it on my morning eggs for variety sometimes. I also like to mix salsa half and half with guacamole for a delicious party treat!

And if you're a ketchup lover and want to reduce your sugar intake, just try salsa instead for a much healthier option. Trust me... salsa on a burger is just as delicious as ketchup on a burger.

Just remember that the corn chips that people generally cram down their throats with salsa are NOT even close to healthy. Corn chips are almost always fried in a heavily refined omega-6 oil such as corn or soy oil, and are inflammatory. Plus, most corn used for corn chips is genetically modified. Organic corn chips are a small step in the right direction (this ensures it's not GMO corn), but I'd still try to keep the quantity small if you're going to eat corn chips with salsa.

4. Hummus

Hummus is mostly just chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon, and olive oil, and is easily one of the healthiest condiments or as a separate snack by itself.

The main thing to look for when buying a good hummus is to make sure it's made with olive oil and NOT soybean or canola oil. Unfortunately most brands use cheap soy or canola oil, but if you're a label reader, it's easy to find a brand that uses solely olive oil.

One of my favorite snacks is just veggie sticks with hummus. However, hummus is also a delicious condiment to go with sandwiches, on top of meat dishes, etc.
 

5. Pesto

Pesto is generally a mashed mix of garlic, pine nuts, basil, olive oil, and grated cheese. It's a great source of healthy fats and also powerful antioxidant's, mostly from the garlic and basil, but to some extent from the pine nuts and olive oil too.

Pesto goes incredibly well with sandwiches, on meat dishes, or surprisingly, even on eggs.

There's one more condiment we didn't cover yet that you might be wondering about...

What about hot sauce?  Actually, hot sauce is fairly healthy. Most hot sauces don't have added sugars. And the hot peppers are actually good for you too and could even cause a slight and temporary metabolism increase. The only drawback to most hot sauces is a moderately high sodium content. But unless you go nuts with loads of hot sauce on every meal, the sodium content in hot sauce will not be an issue.

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