Low Sodium Pasta Sauce Brands

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And The #1 Best Pasta Sauce Iscucina Antica Tomato Basil

Low Sodium Spaghetti – Low Sodium Diet

Out of all the spaghetti sauce brands we ranked, this pick narrowly edged out its brand brother by being even lower in calories. Plus, made with all simple ingredients, you could easily whip this recipe up at homebut it may not even be worth it with this option being just a grocery-store trip away. Now that you know how fab your pasta can be, be sure to also avoid these surprising foods with more carbs than a bowl of pasta!

Eat This, Not That!

Muir Glen Organic Tomato Basil & Chunky Tomato And Herb

Tomato Basil

Chunky Tomato & Herb

For being so low-calorie, low in fat, and low in sodium, we were pretty disappointed to learn that Muir Glen adds sugar to their offering. Because it’s not too high, we ranked these spaghetti sauce brands favorably among the no-sugar-added crowd, especially since they’re all organic.

Prego No Salt Added Pasta Sauce

Its not organic and its not sold in jars or cans at grocery stores.

So why are we including it among the best?

Because its something affordable for feeding a large number of people. Schools, churches, daycares, restaurants, and big families on a budget can all benefit from the no salt Prego pasta sauce.

Its distributed by Campbells food service, as they own the Prego brand. They sell it by the case, which contains 6 pouches that are 106 ounces each.

With 40 mg of sodium per ½ cup, its 5-10x less than what you will find in the jarred Prego varieties.

Where to buy

Food service companies like Gordon Food Service , Sysco, and others that supply bulk operations. The Campbells Food Service case code is 05013. To find a local distributor for it and to get pricing, call them at 1-800-879-7687.

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Sodium In Pasta Sauce Ranked

Digesting The Label is a series that takes a look at what exactly is in the food that we’re buying and eating from a nutritional standpoint. Every two weeks, we’ll examine a food and help determine whether or not it’s all it’s cut out to be .. or in some cases, even better for us than we thought. This week, we’re looking at the sodium content in tomato-based pasta sauces.

It’s no surprise there’s sodium, sugar and probably some ingredients you can’t pronounce hidden in your pasta sauce bottles, but because of their price and convenience, a lot of this can be overlooked.

When you are buying bottled pasta sauce, make sure you watch out for both the sugar and sodium content. Some of the bottles below rack up over 600 mgs of salt per half a cup Health Canada recommends about 1,000 to 1,500 mg of sodium every day. Canadians eat about 3,400 mgs a day.

Of course, you could make your own pasta sauce simply my mixing onions, garlic, chopped tomatoes, basil and spices, or add extra flavour by adding veggies, meats, cheeses or red wine. If you want to cut back on even more calories and fat, avoid Alfredo and other cream-based bottled sauces. And remember, pasta isn’t just about the sauce keep in mind all the extras like the noodles, additional toppings like meats and cheese, and any sides you have with your meal.

Take a look below at some popular store-bought tomato sauces and let us know which ones you love/dislike the most!

Cholula Original Hot Sauce

Online Store: Walnut Acres, Tomato &  Basil Pasta Sauce ...

See nutrition, ingredients, and sustainability info.

This hot sauce combines arbol and piquin peppers with a variety of spices. Also, it has a medium value on Cholulas heat scale and is ideal to add over eggs, burgers, and mac and cheese. One serving offers 110mg of sodium which equals 4% of the daily value.

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Ragu Old World Style Marinara

Here’s where it starts to get diceyand we’re not just referring to the diced tomatoes. Ragu adds something called “Calcium Chloride” to their crushed tomatoes as a “firming acid.” The additive is Generally Recognized As Safe by the FDA, but we’re assuming Ragu uses it to thicken up their otherwise watery sauces instead of adding more tomato meat. They also use more soybean oil than extra virgin and, like in many Ragu sauces, natural flavor. There are better spaghetti sauce brands to drown your penne in.

How To Store And Reheat Alfredo Sauce

It is always best to serve the low sodium Alfredo sauce immediately and to use it all but:

Store Alfredo Sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator and it should last in the fridge for about 5 days. It will thicken in the chill of the fridge but should reheat nicely.

Alfredo Sauce does not freeze well. Because of the oil, cream and cheeses in it, it will separate when freezing.

When reheating in a pan a slow, low temperatures and stirring often is best. If it starts to separate, continue to slowly stir or whisk it back together over low heat.

While it is best not to microwave this sauce. I have done it when poured over left overs. Although it does tend becomes more oily and separates more easily, I just stir the whole dish together and its not really noticeable.

also

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What Is The Best Brand Of Tomato Sauce

I know that Raos is a big hit with a lot of my friends you know, when we meet at the park for a power walk and discuss the best pasta sauces you can buy. Sure, we talk about workouts, the kids, mom guilt, and all of that. And yes, the discussion often turns to whats for dinner.

Raos has a lot of what we are looking for, such as low-fat content and simple, good-for-you ingredients. The flavor is rich and the consistency is perfect for pouring over your favorite pasta.

Victoria Low Sodium Marinara

LOW SODIUM MARINARA SAUCE RECIPE

Victoria foods is a higher-end gourmet brand of sauces and none of them contain added sugar. Theyre best known for their vegan Alfredo sauce.

They dont qualify as no salt spaghetti sauce. Just like The Silver Palate, Victoria adds a little sea salt. Its not much. Each half-cup serving has 120 mg, which is 5% of the daily value.

Its made using premium ingredients imported Italian tomatoes, Italian olive oil, onion, garlic, and other spices. Their only drawback is not being organic.

To paint perspective on the salt content, consider that Prego Heart Smart, which comes in glass jar, still contains 360 mg for the same amount. Thats 3x higher than Victoria. The lowest sodium Ragu is 320 mg, which is also roughly 3x higher.

Where to buy

Victoria Fine Foods has been chugging along since 1929 and since their acquisition by B& G Foods several years back, the distribution has increased greatly. You can find them at higher-end supermarkets and natural health food stores. You can also .

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Barilla Fire Roasted Marinara Sauce

For a popular store-bought brand, this specific flavor of Barilla actually has a super healthy profile: it’s low-cal and fat-free, plus packs more fiber and protein per serving than many other marinara sauces. Did we forget to mention the sugar? There’s only five grams of sugar, tooso this really is a sauce you can feel good about serving.

What Is The Best Pasta Sauce To Buy

The best pasta sauce to buy is the one with the characteristics I have listed above. Low sodium is a huge factor in my books, along with simple ingredients that I know are safe. I look for pasta-sauce perfection, with yummy clean-eating ingredients like fresh garlic and olive oil. And youll want the closest-to-homemade flavor, too!

I dont go by cost, because often, the cheaper the sauce, the more likely theyve skimped on fresh ingredients. Im not saying I dont have a budget, because I do, and I meal-plan each week to stay within the budget.

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Primal Kitchen Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce

If you’ve gone on any kind of restrictive diet, you might already know about this diet-friendly pick from Primal Kitchen, which boasts an impressive roster of health accolades, from being soy- and gluten-free to being certified Paleo and Whole 30 approved. Plus, it’s made with heart-healthy avocado oil instead of canola or soybean oil, so you’ll get an extra boost of good fats.

Canned Or Fresh Tomatoes

Prego Pasta Sauce Low Sodium 45 oz, 3

One thing the High Council of Pizza got right is that you want to consistently have the best tomatoes for your sauce. In Minnesota, I will put our fresh grown tomatoes up against the best. Nothing can beat that sun-ripened fresh flavor. You want that all year round. Where I live, that would mean three quarters of a year of greenhouse tomatoes.

So canned tomatoes will have your back with consistency the rest of the year when you dont have access to fresh. I know San Marzano are considered the Godfather of Tomatoes, but you need to find No Salt Added, and they are rare to find in the U. S.. The great news is that many stores now carry no salt added tomatoes, puree, and paste.

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Is Jarred Spaghetti Sauce Bad For You

Ill say no to this question, as long as you are buying a jarred spaghetti sauce that isnt loaded with unhealthy oils or tons of added sugar. I think there are 3 main things to look for as far as ingredients.Watch out for the sugar content .

Sodium is next on the list . Lastly, fats in the sauce should come from healthy sources like olive oil.

If you zero in on these things (along with steering clear of mystery ingredients you cannot pronounce, you can buy jarred spaghetti sauce to use on your favorite pasta and other dishes, too.

This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.

Are There Low Sodium Marinara Sauce Brands

I get it. You dont always want to make everything from scratch. Sometimes you just want to buy a jar of sauce that wont spike your blood pressure, right?

In general, look for a pasta sauce thats less than 150mg sodium per serving. That still may be higher than you want, but you wont break the sodium bank with that amount. You also want to check out the added sugar amount. Ideally, there would be none , but look for one thats as low as you can find. Theres usually sugar added to jarred marinara sauce, but not always. Here are some brands to consider:

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A Caveat About No Salt Sauces

Even if the nutrition facts list 0 mg, that doesnt necessarily mean its a salt free hot sauce recipe.

The FDA labeling law allows for rounding. For sodium, its its under 5 mg the manufacturer can list 0. Likewise for calories, as there are still some in zero calorie hot sauce, but the amount is less than 5 calories per serving.

Plus all living organisms whether plant-based or animal-derived contain some amount of sodium naturally. In the case of these ingredients, that means there are trace amounts that are present in the peppers and tomatoes. Though now we really are talking super insignificant amounts!

From the list, the true no sodium hot sauce brands are and Docs Salt-Free, Mr. Spice Salt-Free, Homesweet Homegrown, and then a staple in our kitchens which is Brother Bru Brus Original African Hot Pepper .

The healthiest substitute for Franks hot sauce, as well as similar tasting Louisiana and Crystal, will be Docs Salt Free. Its the only New Orleans-styled sauce on the market that really has no added salt. Its the best alternative for achieving that southern flavor in your cooking.

Rao’s Homemade Sensitive Formula Marinara Sauce

How To Make Low Sodium Homemade Heart Healthy Savory Delicious Tomato Sauce Recipe Quick & Easy

This marinara was formulated without onions or garlic for those who suffer from gastric distress or are following a low FODMAP diet, have IBS, or have many food sensitivities. If you don’t suffer from any of these ailments, don’t bother with this sauce. It’s high in calories and high in fateven if it’s the healthy kind, it should still be eaten in moderation.

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My Tips For The Best Low Sodium Pasta Sauce

Since spaghetti is Americas and one of my favorite foods Ive learned a few tips over time while continually trying to make the perfect sauce.

  • Dont initially cook the beef all in one thin layer and turn it constantly. Instead add it in large clumps, let the bottom really sear and brown. Then you can start to really chop it up and it breaks down more easily.
  • While any no salt added tomato sauce will work using no salt added Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes really makes it extra mouthwatering. Just puree in your food processor to make it into a low sodium tomato sauce. Trust me its worth it!
  • Dont be shy adding onion and garlic. These two really add to the majority of the flavor here.
  • Allow time to simmer and let the flavors come together and work its magic. It will also allow time for the sauce to reduce and thicken a bit. Just add a touch of water if it gets to thick.
  • This homemade low sodium spaghetti sauce recipe can be easily made ahead of time and in large batches. You can then separate into serving portions and freeze for a quick meal in the future. Before freezing spaghetti sauce, allow the mixture to cool completely. It can be stored frozen for up to 4-6 months. To use, simply place frozen sauce in a pot and reheat on the stove until warm. Highly recommended.

The Anatomy Of Pizza Sauce

Pizza purists believe that all pizza starts from what is called Neapolitan Pizza. According to the rules proposed by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the genuine Neapolitan pizza dough consists of wheat flour , natural Neapolitan yeast or brewers yeast, salt and water. You must use fresh Mozzarella from Buffalo Milk. The sauce is uncooked, and made from canned San Marzano Tomatoes and salt. There are even rules as to how to hand roll the dough and even at what temperature those fancy pizza ovens need to be at and that they have to be wood fired.

If you add basil and some extra virgin olive oil to the sauce, it becomes a Neapolitan Pizza Margherita. If you add oregano to the Margherita, then it is classified as a Neapolitan Pizza Marinara. Outside of the Neapolitan rules, people adapted their sauces from family recipes, by the region they were from and the ingredients available. Sauces were modified based on the dough and the crust style.

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The Best Low Sodium Pizza Sauce

Is your favorite pizza New York or Chicago style? Or are you a Neapolitan style purist? How about crust, deep-dish, hand-tossed, or thin crust? Pizza stone or on a pan? What about pineapple? All of these are questions that can start a war over pizza. One thing that is universal and can unite us all is having a killer pizza sauce. Ive modified my recipe and now have the best low sodium pizza sauce.

Bertolli Organic Traditional Olive Oil Basil & Garlic

Gefen No Salt Added Pasta Sauce

Pasta sauce is one of the top sources of cancer-fighting lycopene in the American diet thanks to the Italian gravy’s use of cooked tomatoes. Bertolli doubles down on the benefits by using organic tomatoes, a variety that research suggests may have higher levels of these disease-fighting polyphenols and vitamin C than conventionally-grown varieties. That’s why we’re even more disappointed Bertolli chose to bog down this sauce with sugareven if it is organic.

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Why Is There Sugar In Spaghetti Sauce

Ummm there’s sugar in marinara sauce? Yup. Tomatoes naturally have about four or five grams of sugar per serving however, brands will also add even more sugar to offset the acidic flavor of the sauce.

Just because you need a little sweetness to balance out the flavor, though, doesn’t mean the amount of sugar found in some popular store-bought pasta sauce brands is necessary.

How much sugar are we talking? Here’s a comparison of three popular sauces and the sugar content in each, alongside foods that contain the same amount of sugar.

Brand
9 grams ¾ cup of Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Yeesh. If you wouldn’t top your spaghetti with three fun-size Butterfinger candy bars, you won’t want to pour a serving of Ragu’s Chunky Sauce on there, either. Thankfully, these brands are some of the worst offendersnot all marinara sauces are this high in sugar. You can make healthier choices by picking the best low-carb spaghetti sauce brands.

How To Shop For Low

If pasta is in your dinner rotation every week, you’re probably buying jarred marinara sauce pretty regularly . And marinara sauce can be a healthy addition to your weeknight meals: it’s often loaded with veggies but lacking in the fat and calories that come with cream-based sauces like alfredo.

The problem is that if you don’t check out the label on the back of your jar, you could be inadvertently wiping out all the health benefits of marinara with sky-high amounts of sugar.

“A serving size of marinara is usually ½ cup,” says Amy Shapiro, RD, CDN, and founder of Real Nutrition. “Aim for a sauce with about 35 to 50 calories, with sugar only coming from the tomatoes.”

According to Shapiro, here’s what to look for when you’re shopping for healthy marinara sauces:

  • The best options contain five grams or less of sugar, and roughly the same amount of carbs. Ideally, you would hit less than 400 milligrams of sodium, too, but it’s pretty hard to find sauces that are low in sugar and sodium unless you’re able to shell out big bucks for organic jars.
  • Look for minimal ingredients. Shapiro says this means only three or four whole foods plus herbs and spices. If sugar is added, it should be far down on the list, not near the top.
  • Organic and local options are good ways to ensure you’re getting a cleaner, less processed sauce, but it’s not a necessity. In fact, Shapiro’s favorite brand isn’t organic, but she says it’s still “simple and downright delicious.”

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