When following a low sugar or diabetic diet, it can be challenging to find sauces and condiments that are sugar free. With so many flavors added to foods via sauces and spreads, it important to have tasty options to flavor your foods without added sugar. The good news is that there are a variety of sauces that are naturally sugar free or have sugar free versions available.
Vinegar Based Sauces
One of the most versatile and easy to find sugar free sauce options is vinegar-based sauces. Here are some sugar free vinegar-based sauces and condiments to consider:
- Balsamic vinegar – Thick, syrupy balsamic vinegar contains no sugar and packs a punch of flavor. Drizzle over salads, roasted veggies, and pasta.
- Wine vinegar – Try red wine, white wine, champagne, or sherry vinegar. Brighten up salad dressings, marinades, and sauteed greens.
- Rice vinegar – Used in Asian cooking, rice vinegar adds a mild tanginess without sugar. Great in stir fries, noodle dishes, and dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar – Add zest to dressings and marinades with the fruity taste of apple cider vinegar. Also works well paired with oil as a dip for bread.
- Malt vinegar – The maltiness of this vinegar lends delicious flavor to fish and chips or drizzled over sandwiches.
These vinegars can be used straight up or whisked into an easy homemade salad dressing or marinade. When cooking with them, just be mindful of their sharp acidity and balance with olive oil, salt, herbs, and spices.
Oils and Fats
Don’t underestimate the flavor boost oils and fats can provide without any sugar. Here are some healthy unsweetened options:
- Extra virgin olive oil – Topping foods with high quality EVOO adds fruitiness and complexity.
- Nut oils – Walnut, almond, and hazelnut oils have naturally nutty, rich flavors.
- Sesame oil – A little goes a long way with this aromatic toasted sesame oil.
- Coconut oil – Subtle coconut flavor works well in many Asian and curry dishes.
- Butter – High fat butter adds creaminess and saltiness when cooking or spread on top.
Drizzle these over finished dishes or use for cooking vegetables, eggs, meat and fish. Fats conduct flavor and help make foods taste delicious without depending on added sugars.
Salsa
Fresh, homemade salsa is an awesome sugar free sauce option. The vegetables, herbs and spices add tons of flavor and the acidity from tomatoes and lime juice brightens up any dish. Try these salsa recipes:
- Pico de gallo – Dice tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice.
- Corn salsa – Mix grilled corn, black beans, red onion, lime and cilantro.
- Fruit salsa – Pineapple, mango, red onion and cilantro are delicious.
Spoon salsa over eggs, tacos, grilled meats, chicken, and fish for a flavor and nutrition boost without sugar. Refrigerate fresh salsa for up to one week.
Guacamole
Creamy, green guacamole is another stellar sugar free sauce. The healthy fats from avocado are satisfying, and guacamole goes great with so many different foods. Make guacamole with:
- Mashed avocado
- Lime juice
- Diced tomato
- Onion
- Cilantro
- Jalapeno or serrano chile peppers
- Garlic
- Salt
Use guacamole as a dip, spread, or topping for meats, tacos, sandwiches, eggs, and salads. It does contain unsweetened natural sugars from the fruit, but no added sugar.
Hummus
Hummus is a Mediterranean spread made from pureed chickpeas, olive oil, lemon, and tahini (sesame seed paste). Using canned chickpeas allows you to make it in just a few minutes. Hummus has a smooth, creamy texture and earthy flavor. It pairs great with raw vegetables for dipping or as a spread on sandwiches and pitas.
Pesto
Pesto is a classic Italian sauce made with basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil. It packs a flavor punch thanks to the fresh basil and sharp cheese. You can use pesto as a dip, sauce over chicken or fish, or toss with whole wheat pasta. Traditional pesto contains Parmesan, but you can also find or make dairy free pesto for those avoiding cheese.
Harissa
Harissa paste is a spicy North African condiment made from chile peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices. It has a fiery kick balanced with complex flavor. Use harissa to add heat to stews, rubs for meat, salad dressings, or dilute as a sauce for eggs or vegetables. A little goes a long way since it has a significant spicy impact.
Chimichurri
Chimichurri comes from Argentina and makes a lively accompaniment to grilled meats. It contains parsley, oregano, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. The fresh herbs and acidity cut through the richness of beef. You can also use chimichurri as a marinade or dipping sauce.
Low Sugar Ketchup
Standard ketchup contains around 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon, or 12 grams in a typical serving. To cut back on sugar, opt for low sugar or no sugar added ketchup. These versions replace sugar with artificial sweeteners so you can still enjoy the familiar tomato ketchup flavor. Some options include:
- Heinz No Sugar Added Ketchup
- Walden Farms Calorie Free Ketchup
- Primal Kitchen Ketchup
- Organicville No Sugar Added Organic Ketchup
Check the nutrition labels and aim for ketchups with under 1 gram of sugar per serving. Use them as you normally would for dipping fries, burgers, nuggets, etc.
Low Sugar Barbecue Sauce
Like ketchup, regular BBQ sauces load up the sugar to balance the tangy and smoky flavors. But you can certainly find low sugar BBQ sauces on the market, including:
- Sweet Baby Ray’s No Sugar Added BBQ Sauces
- G Hughes Sugar Free BBQ Sauce
- Walden Farms BBQ Sauces
- Stubb’s Less Sugar BBQ Sauces
Use these to sauce and smoke meat, slather on sandwiches, mix into bean chili, and more for that tasty BBQ flavor without all the sugar. Make sure to check the carb counts too if you are limiting total carbs.
Hot Sauce
If you like things spicy, hot sauces are great for low sugar flavor. Tabasco, Cholula, Sriracha, and other pepper-based hot sauces contain minimal sugar. Spice up eggs, tacos, stir fries, soups, and anything else you want to add some heat to. You can also find lots of hot sauce varieties at Latin grocery stores. Just check the label for added sugar.
Horseradish Sauce
Prepared horseradish contains vinegar and salt along with the pungent horseradish root. The eye-watering flavor adds a sinus clearing kick to beef, fish, chicken, or sandwiches. Look for prepared horseradish without added sugar. You can also grate fresh horseradish root if you want an extra potent flavor.
Teriyaki Sauce
Standard teriyaki sauce is loaded with sugar. But you can now find lower sugar teriyaki sauces made with artificial sweeteners, such as:
- Walden Farms Teriyaki Sauce
- Panda Express Sweet & Spicy Asian Teriyaki Sauce
- Lee Kum Kee Tabletop Teriyaki Marinade
Use these to add the characteristic teriyaki flavor to chicken, beef, shrimp, salmon, stir fries, and more Japanese inspired dishes without affecting your blood sugar as much.
Fish Sauce
Fish sauce is used heavily in Thai, Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asian cuisines. The umami rich, salty brown sauce is made from fermented fish. It provides a savory flavor base for many Asian recipes. Red boat, Squid, and Three Crabs are good fish sauce brands. Use in moderation as the sodium content is high.
Worcestershire Sauce
This classic British condiment features a blend of vinegar, molasses, anchovies, tamarind, and spices. The unique flavor profile enhances beef, chicken, pork, fish, mushrooms, and even bloody marys! Worcestershire sauce contains around 2 grams of sugar per teaspoon, mainly from molasses. But it can be used moderately in dressings, marinades and sauces.
Mustard
Mustard is an ideal condiment for low sugar diets. Dry powdered mustard, whole grain mustard, dijon mustard, and yellow mustard all pack a flavor punch without sugar when used in moderation. Liven up sandwiches, hamburgers, salad dressings, marinades, chicken dishes, and deviled eggs with different types of mustard.
Mayonnaise
Regular mayonnaise contains only around 1 gram of sugar per tablespoon. To cut carbs even further, look for mayo and aioli made without any added sugar. Use mayo to add richness, tang, and creaminess to servings of chicken salad, egg salad, on sandwiches, with raw vegetables, or as a base for other sauces.
Hollandaise Sauce
Buttery, lemony hollandaise is divine on top of vegetables, eggs, fish and other entrees. While hollandaise contains around 1/2 teaspoon of sugar per serving, you can also find or make sugar free versions by substituting stevia or monk fruit. Pair hollandaise with simple poached salmon and asparagus for an elegant, low carb meal.
Spice Rubs
Instead of relying on sugar for flavoring meats, try using dry spice rubs. Homemade or store bought blends that contain salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and other spices add big flavor without sugar. Use them to season beef, pork, chicken, and fish before grilling or roasting.
Broths and Stocks
Sipping on broth or stock makes a satisfying low sugar snack. Chicken, beef and vegetable stocks contain body nourishing flavors without sugar. You can also cook grains like rice in broth instead of water for extra taste. Or use stock as the base for healthy soups packed with low carb vegetables.
Coconut Aminos
Coconut aminos have an umami flavor similar to soy sauce. This soy sauce substitute is made from the sap of coconut trees. Use coconut aminos to season stir fries, rice bowls, marinades, dressings, and other savory dishes to add a rich flavor without sugar.
No Sugar Added Tomato Sauce and Paste
Tomatoes offer the sweetness of a fruit with the savoriness of a vegetable. You can certainly make homemade marinara and pizza sauce without added sugar by simmering canned tomatoes with Italian herbs and spices. For shortcuts, opt for no sugar added or low sugar jarred pasta sauce and tomato paste.
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast grown on molasses. It has a savory, cheesy flavor profile despite being dairy free. Nutritional yeast contains no sugar or carbs and can be sprinkled over vegetables, pasta, popcorn for a flavor boost.
Dried and Fresh Herbs
Never underestimate the flavor power of fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, rosemary, thyme and sage. Similarly, dried herbs like oregano, parsley, and Italian seasoning bring layers of flavor without any sugar. Use liberally to season low carb meat and vegetable dishes.
Spices
Like fresh and dried herbs, spices allow you to brighten up meals with sugar free flavor. Try salt-free blends for extra flair. Some go-to spices and spice blends include:
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Curry powder
- Italian seasoning
Fermented Foods
Naturally fermented foods like kimchi, miso paste, tempeh, pickles, and sauerkraut contain probiotics along with tangy flavor. The live cultures boost gut health, and these foods often use sea salt instead of sugar during preparation. Fermented foods can take some getting used to, but start slowly mixing them into Asian dishes, tacos, grain bowls, and other meals.
Low Carb Sweet and Spicy Sauces
If you still want the balance of sweet and spicy or tangy without affecting blood sugar levels, some good low carb sauce brands include:
- G Hughes Sugar Free Dipping Sauces
- Walden Farms Calorie Free Sauces
- Stubbs BBQ Sauces
- Sweet Baby Ray’s Sugar Free BBQ Sauces
They replace sugar with artificial sweeteners and range from honey mustard to sweet chili to bourbon molasses flavors. Always check the nutrition label for sugar and carb content.
Homemade Creamy Sauces
Whip up sugar free creamy sauces at home with:
- Heavy cream + Parmesan
- Mascarpone + herbs
- Greek yogurt + lemon + dill
- Cream cheese + Everything Bagel seasoning
- Sour cream + onion + garlic
Simmer, season and blend these quick sauce bases to top chicken, fish, pasta, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice and more with rich creamy flavor.
Conclusion
With some creativity and flexibility in the kitchen, you can absolutely still make and enjoy flavorful sauces and condiments without added sugars. The key is focusing on sauces derived from healthy whole foods like vegetables, acids, oils and spices. Look for low sugar versions of popular condiments like ketchup, or make your own healthier sugar free alternatives. Use this guide as a starting point for discovering new and old sugar free favorites to enhance your low carb and diabetic friendly cooking.
