Our Favorite #TrashPandaApproved Condiments

Condiments are something everyone loves — whether you prefer ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, or all of the above, they elevate some of our favorite foods, and bring a lot of flavor to the table.

Unfortunately, many of the most popular condiment brands include ingredients that are less than ideal —things like added sugar, poor quality oils, and even food coloring. These ingredients allow companies to produce their condiments cheaply, and make them highly palatable to consumers — keeping them coming back for more.

Fortunately, there are some awesome brands making flavorful condiments with only real food ingredients. Here are some of our favorites:

Ketchup

Ketchup is typically made with added sugar (sometimes in the form of high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup), and tomatoes are also on the “Dirty Dozen” list, so they’re something you should try to buy organic if at all possible. No matter where you land on the Heinz or Hunts debate, you should probably be looking into another brand all together.

Mustard

Most of us are familiar with the classic French’s or Heinz Yellow Mustard. Unfortunately, both of these options have natural flavors added (see why those are potentially harmful here). And we think mustard is plenty flavorful without any questionable ingredients!

Mayonnaise

Most mainstream mayonnaise brands are typically made with natural flavors and poor quality oils like soybean or canola oil. Some of these brands have even started marketing “olive oil” or “avocado oil” versions of these products, but check carefully — those typically still have canola and/or soybean oils and added flavors in them as well!

Hot Sauce

Have you ever thought to look at the ingredients in your hot sauce? It’s one of those sneaky foods that we forget can be made with questionable ingredients because it seems so simple! Some of the more prevalent hot sauce brands use sodium benzoate as a preservative, which studies have linked to inflammation that can promote cancer development.

BBQ Sauce

There are a few watch-outs when buying store bought BBQ sauce. The first is added sugar, often in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Many brands also include natural flavors, artificial colors (such as caramel coloring), and preservatives like potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate.

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