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What's the Cleanest Jarred Pasta Sauce?
Ranks jarred pasta sauces across price points on olive oil use, no added sugar, and BPA-free packaging.
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From ketchup to salad dressing — condiments can derail an otherwise clean diet. We break down ingredients, expose the worst offenders, and find better alternatives.
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Ranks jarred pasta sauces across price points on olive oil use, no added sugar, and BPA-free packaging.
Evaluates the charitable brand's pasta sauce on seed oil use, tomato sourcing, and additive content.
It's the gold standard for grocery store marinara, but has the recipe changed since Campbell's bought the brand?
Identifies jarred pasta sauce brands made without canola, soybean, or sunflower oil.
Reviews the high-fructose corn syrup, artificial dye, and sodium content in conventional pickle relish.
Most mustard is a superfood, but honey mustard is often just high-fructose corn syrup in disguise.
The original brand is cleaner than you think, but cheap knockoffs are full of corn syrup and carcinogens.
Most bottled marinades are chemically engineered sugar bombs that can actually increase cancer risks when grilled.
Ranks salad dressing brands on seed oil use, sugar content, and ingredient simplicity.
The creamy classic is often a sodium bomb loaded with inflammatory oils and artificial whiteners.
The iconic Dijon brand hides added sugar, thickeners, and lab-made acids behind its premium reputation.
Both mustards are incredibly clean condiments, but one packs double the sodium of the other.
Mustard is naturally healthy, but mainstream brands hide up to 100 chemical components under 'natural flavors'.
That bright neon yellow actually comes from a powerful anti-inflammatory spice, not a chemical dye—but there's a catch.
Mustard is a zero-calorie powerhouse, but some brands sneak in artificial dyes and high fructose corn syrup.
Hunt's makes a big deal about natural ingredients, but both classic versions hide the exact same sugary secret.
It ditches the high fructose corn syrup and added sugar, but recent independent lab tests reveal a hidden heavy metal problem.
America's favorite condiment contains a double-dose of highly processed corn syrups in every classic bottle.
Standard ketchup packs 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon, but the 'sugar-free' alternatives hiding artificial sweeteners might be even worse.
More than half the sugar in standard ketchup comes from high-fructose corn syrup—but these brands ditch it completely.
Your favorite dipping sauce might just be tomato-flavored syrup—some popular brands pack more sugar per ounce than a chocolate chip cookie.
Skipping the eggs doesn't automatically make mayonnaise a health food—in fact, most vegan mayos are packed with the exact same highly processed seed oils.
One has a cult following for its sugar-free Southern twang, but both hide the exact same highly processed ingredient.
UC Davis researchers tested 22 avocado oil brands for purity—Chosen Foods was one of only two that actually passed.
At $10 a jar, it's the undisputed king of avocado oil mayo—but is it actually worth the premium price tag?
It may be naturally sugar-free and a Southern icon, but Duke's hides a highly processed seed oil and a synthetic preservative behind its famous twang.
America's #1 mayonnaise hides highly refined soybean oil and synthetic preservatives behind a label of 'real, simple ingredients.'
That 'olive oil' mayo in your fridge is probably 90% soybean oil—here’s how to find the real deal.
True avocado oil mayo is a massive health upgrade, but 70% of mainstream brands use deceptive labeling to sell you cheap seed oils.
Your favorite jar of mayo is likely over 65% soybean oil—even if the label says 'with Olive Oil.'
That innocent-looking spread is secretly packing up to 80% processed seed oils—here's what to buy instead.
Comparing dressing types
Ranch options without seed oils and preservatives
America's favorite salad dressing is essentially a chemical cocktail of inflammatory seed oils, synthetic preservatives, and MSG.
It saves you 100 calories per serving, but you'll be trading fat for seed oils and thickeners like carrageenan.
Ingredient analysis of the charitable brand
It's a Whole30 staple, but a 2016 recipe change swapping olive oil for sunflower oil still has strict ingredient purists divided.
It's the #1 natural dressing brand, but did the 2018 Kraft Heinz buyout ruin the ingredients?
Pouring the wrong dressing on your salad can turn a healthy meal into a dose of inflammatory oils and hidden sugar.
Some 'healthy' fat-free dressings pack more sugar per serving than a handful of gummy bears.
That 'olive oil' vinaigrette in your fridge is probably 90% soybean oil.
That innocent drizzle of ranch or vinaigrette might be turning your healthy bowl of greens into a dessert.
One is packed with sugar and synthetic preservatives, while the other hides nearly 200mg of sodium in a single teaspoon.
The Original sauce has just five clean ingredients, but their popular Buffalo Wings Sauce hides seed oils and mystery flavors.
The famous 'rooster sauce' contains two synthetic preservatives and more sugar than you realize.
Your favorite hot sauce might be hiding artificial preservatives and massive amounts of sodium behind that heat.
Frank's RedHot packs a staggering 190mg of sodium per teaspoon, but clean alternatives can deliver heat with as little as zero.
Capsaicin helps you live longer, but some popular hot sauces hide up to 200mg of sodium and artificial preservatives in every teaspoon.
Low-sodium soy sauce cuts the salt by 40%, but many brands replace it with synthetic preservatives to extend shelf life.
The classic red-cap bottle has surprisingly simple ingredients, but there's a hidden catch on the 'Less Sodium' label.
Your favorite takeout packets might not even contain real soy sauce.
Coconut aminos has 70% less sodium than soy sauce, but it secretly packs more sugar and calories.
One is packed with wheat, the other is naturally gluten-free—but the real difference comes down to how they're made.
The cheap soy sauce in your pantry might be boiled in hydrochloric acid and linked to a known carcinogen.
Just one tablespoon of soy sauce packs nearly 40% of your daily sodium limit, and cheap brands are chemically processed using hydrochloric acid.
Most 'sugar-free' BBQ sauces are chemical cocktails—here are the ones that actually use real food.
The popular sugar-free BBQ evaluated
The unsweetened BBQ sauce that actually tastes like BBQ—without the chemical aftertaste.
Low-sugar, clean ingredient picks
It removes the tar found in real BBQ, but a recent EU ban raises new DNA concerns.
HFCS-free BBQ options
Most bottled BBQ sauces have more sugar per ounce than soda—here is what to buy instead.
Is making your own marinara actually cheaper, or are you just paying yourself minimum wage to stand over a stove?
Comparing the popular "healthy" options
Review of the charitable sauce brand
Ingredient analysis of the popular brand
It's the gold standard of grocery store marinara, but has the Campbell's acquisition ruined the recipe?
Why Rao's costs $9 and whether it's justified
We analyzed the top 20 brands to find which ones use real olive oil and which are just sugar bombs in disguise.
Truly sugar-free marinara options
That jar of marinara might have as much sugar as a glazed donut—here's why manufacturers add it and how to avoid it.
Hidden sugar and oils in store-bought sauce
Traditional hummus uses olive oil, but 90% of store-bought brands use cheap seed oils instead.
Hummus without seed oils and preservatives
It's the most popular hummus in America, but hidden preservatives and weedkiller concerns might make you think twice.
Why most packaged guac is disappointing
Most jarred salsas are sodium bombs packed with preservatives—here are the few clean brands that actually taste like real food.
It’s arguably the healthiest condiment in the grocery store, but the sodium levels in some jars might shock you.
Finding sauces without added sugar
Review of the premium fish sauce
It's an umami bomb with gut-health benefits, but one popular brand is full of fructose and hydrolyzed protein.
It's known as Chinese BBQ sauce—and just like the American version, it's a sugar bomb in disguise.
Review of the sugar-free teriyaki
Most bottled teriyaki is just soy sauce and high fructose corn syrup—here are the 3 brands using real food ingredients.
That sticky glaze is delicious, but it’s mostly sugar and salt—here’s what to buy instead.