Frank’s RedHot is a popular hot sauce brand made by McCormick & Company. The sauce has a distinct flavor and moderate heat that makes it versatile for adding spice to many dishes. Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce is the flagship product, but the brand has expanded over the years to offer different varieties.
When using condiments like hot sauce, many people wonder about the calorie and nutrition information. Hot sauce can pack a flavor punch without too many calories, making it a staple for spicy food fans trying to watch their weight. This article will provide a thorough explainer on the calorie and nutrition facts for Frank’s RedHot sauces. We’ll also look at how Frank’s compares to other popular hot sauces.
Does Frank’s RedHot Have Calories?
Yes, Frank’s RedHot does contain calories, though a relatively small amount per serving compared to many other condiments. The number of calories in Frank’s RedHot depends on the specific variety:
Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
– Serving size: 1 teaspoon (5mL)
– Calories per serving: 5
Frank’s RedHot Original Sauce contains just 5 calories per teaspoon serving. The calorie count is low because the sauce is made from simple ingredients – aged cayenne red peppers, vinegar, water, salt, and garlic powder. It does not contain sugar or other added sweeteners that can spike the calorie count.
Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce
– Serving size: 1 tablespoon (15mL)
– Calories per serving: 15
Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce has a few more calories than the original hot sauce, with 15 calories in each tablespoon serving. The buffalo style sauce has similar ingredients as the original, but also contains xanthan gum as a thickening agent and molasses for added sweetness. The molasses adds a small amount of sugar and calories. Even so, 15 calories per tablespoon is still low for a flavorful sauce.
Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce
– Serving size: 1 tablespoon (15mL)
– Calories per serving: 40
Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce packs the most calories of the brand’s core varieties, with 40 calories in each tablespoon. In addition to aged cayenne peppers, the sweet chili sauce contains higher sugar ingredients like sugar, corn syrup, and molasses to provide its signature sweet-spicy flavor. The extra sugar brings up the calorie total compared to Frank’s more tangy, savory sauces.
Frank’s RedHot Sauce Nutrition Facts
In addition to calories, Frank’s RedHot sauces contain a minimal amount of other nutrients:
| Nutrition Facts | Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce | Buffalo Wings Sauce | Sweet Chili Sauce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | 1 tsp (5mL) | 1 tbsp (15mL) | 1 tbsp (15mL) |
| Calories | 5 | 15 | 40 |
| Total Fat | 0g | 0g | 0g |
| Sodium | 35mg | 90mg | 160mg |
| Total Carbs | 1g | 4g | 10g |
| Sugar | 0g | 1g | 8g |
As you can see, the sauces are low in fat, sodium, carbs, and sugar. Frank’s RedHot gets its heat from capsaicin in the aged peppers rather than added salt, keeping the sodium content moderate. The Original Hot Sauce has virtually no sugar, while the Buffalo Wings Sauce and Sweet Chili Sauce contain 1 gram and 8 grams of sugar per serving, respectively.
So in summary, Frank’s RedHot does contain calories but not very many per serving. The nutrition profile is comparable to other hot sauces made from chili peppers, vinegar, and spices. The Sweet Chili variety packs the most calories and carbs due to its sugar content. But overall, you can add Frank’s RedHot to dishes guilt-free if you don’t overdo your portion size.
How Many Calories in Frank’s RedHot vs Other Hot Sauces?
Frank’s RedHot is on the lower end of the calorie spectrum compared to many other popular hot sauces, though it depends on the variety. Here is a calories per serving comparison:
Frank’s RedHot Original vs Sriracha
– Frank’s RedHot Original: 5 calories per teaspoon
– Huy Fong Sriracha: 5 calories per teaspoon
Frank’s and Sriracha have identical calorie counts. Both hot sauces are made primarily from chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, and salt. They derive their heat from capsaicin instead of sugar.
Frank’s RedHot vs Tabasco
– Frank’s RedHot Original: 5 calories per teaspoon
– Tabasco Original: 0 calories per teaspoon
Tabasco Original edges out Frank’s with 0 calories per serving. Tabasco contains distilled vinegar, red pepper, and salt. It does not contain any sugar or other calorie-containing ingredients.
Frank’s RedHot vs Cholula
– Frank’s RedHot Original: 5 calories per teaspoon
– Cholula Original: 5 calories per teaspoon
Like Frank’s and Sriracha, Cholula Original Hot Sauce also has 5 calories per serving. Its ingredients include water, peppers, salt, and vinegar.
Frank’s RedHot vs Texas Pete
– Frank’s RedHot Original: 5 calories per teaspoon
– Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce: 0 calories per teaspoon
Texas Pete Hot Sauce has 0 calories per serving, like Tabasco. It’s made from aged cayenne pepper sauce and vinegar.
Frank’s RedHot vs Crystal Hot Sauce
– Frank’s RedHot Original: 5 calories per teaspoon
– Crystal Hot Sauce: 0 calories per teaspoon
Crystal Hot Sauce also contains 0 calories per serving. It packs heat through a blend of aged Cayenne peppers, vinegar, and salt.
Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili vs Other Sweet/Spicy Sauces
The sweet chili variety of Frank’s RedHot contains more calories than the original sauce. Here’s how it compares to other popular sweet and spicy sauces:
– Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili: 40 calories per tablespoon
– Sriracha Sweet Chili Sauce: 60 calories per tablespoon
– Sweet Baby Ray’s Sweet ‘n Spicy: 70 calories per tablespoon
– Aunt Mays Ketchup Sweet ‘N Spicy: 40 calories per tablespoon
Frank’s Sweet Chili Sauce is on the lower end for sweet chili sauces, though not as low as the original. Sriracha, Sweet Baby Ray’s, and Aunt May’s sweet spicy sauces contain more sugar and calories per tablespoon.
Factors Affecting Calories in Hot Sauce
Why do some hot sauces have more calories than others? Here are the main factors impacting the calorie content in different hot sauces:
Added Sugars
Added sugars like cane sugar, brown sugar, molasses, corn syrup, and honey quickly increase the calorie count. Sweet chili sauces often have extra sugar to balance the heat.
Fruit Ingredients
Some hot sauces use fruits like mangoes, pineapples, oranges, peaches, etc to add flavor. The natural sugars in these fruits can contribute calories.
Oils
Hot sauces like sriracha contain a small amount of vegetable oil, which adds calories from fat. Oil helps carry flavor but isn’t necessary in vinegar-based sauces.
Thickeners
Starches like xanthan gum, cornstarch, or flour can provide viscosity and thickness. But they are also calorie sources, especially in large amounts.
Tomatoes
Many Mexican hot sauces include tomatoes for tangy flavor. The natural tomato sugars add some calories compared to sauces without.
Alcohol
A few specialty hot sauces use alcohol to extract flavors. The alcohol contributes extra calories compared to vinegar-based sauces.
Tips for Adding Frank’s RedHot Without Excess Calories
Frank’s RedHot is low in calories, especially the Original variety at just 5 calories per teaspoon. But any extra calories can add up if you overdo your portions. Here are some tips for using Frank’s RedHot without going overboard on calories:
– Stick to the standard serving size of 1 teaspoon or tablespoon instead of squirting freely. Measure your portions.
– Try diluting Frank’s with equal parts vinegar or water to cut the calories in half.
– Mix Frank’s Original Hot Sauce with Greek yogurt instead of cream or mayo-based dips and dressings.
– Use Frank’s as a flavor boost in place of butter, oil, or other high-fat ingredients.
– Add a dash of hot sauce as a low-cal “dressing” for tacos, burgers, pizza, etc instead of hundred-calorie condiments.
– Blend Frank’s with tomato juice or low-sodium vegetable juice for a quick, tangy salad dressing.
– For wings, mix Frank’s Buffalo sauce with plain Greek yogurt for a lighter alternative to heavy blue cheese or ranch dip.
– When cooking, add Frank’s sauce toward the end instead of cooking with it for a long time. The heat breaks down if overcooked.
– Water down bottled wing sauce made with Frank’s to reduce the calorie density if it seems too thick.
– Choose Frank’s Original or Buffalo over the Sweet Chili if watching your sugar intake. Or dilute the Sweet Chili variety.
With a bit of creativity and portion control, you can add flavor with Frank’s RedHot without sabotaging your healthy eating goals. The cayenne pepper sauce packs plenty of zesty flavor for barely any calories per serving.
Conclusion
In summary, Frank’s RedHot does contain a minimal amount of calories, though significantly less than many other condiments and sauces. The number of calories depends on the variety:
– Frank’s Original Hot Sauce: 5 calories per teaspoon
– Frank’s Buffalo Wings Sauce: 15 calories per tablespoon
– Frank’s Sweet Chili Sauce: 40 calories per tablespoon
Compared to other popular hot sauces, Frank’s is on the lower end for calories thanks to its simple, vinegar-based preparation with minimal added sugars or oils. Frank’s gets its signature flavor from aged cayenne peppers.
To keep calories in check, stick with standard serving sizes of Frank’s and avoid pouring with abandon. Diluting with vinegar, yogurt, or tomato juice can also cut down on calories. And the Original and Buffalo styles offer the lowest calorie options compared to the Sweet Chili.
Overall, lovers of spicy flavor can feel good about adding Frank’s RedHot to their favorite foods while still keeping calories under control. The hot sauce provides a powerhouse hit of heat and tang without weighing down your meal. A dash of Frank’s can liven up anything from eggs and tacos to wings, chili, and more for just 5-15 calories per serving.
