Duck sauce, also known as plum sauce, is a condiment routinely used in Chinese food. It is a tangy sauce, usually made with plums, apricots, sweeteners, and spices. It is often used as a dipping sauce for egg rolls and as a cooking sauce for other Chinese dishes. Those following a gluten-free diet have to be especially careful when ordering out, including at Chinese restaurants. Is this Chinese condiment gluten-free?
Duck sauce is gluten-free. However, you should always check the label on foods to be sure. Even though it’s usually gluten-free, duck sauce is often full of sugar and salt. The best healthier gluten-free alternatives to duck sauce are Stonewall Kitchen Mango Chutney, Primal Kitchen Balsamic Vinaigrette and Marinade, and Farmhouse Lab Sunny Avocado Real Food Dressing.
In this article, we will review the ingredients and nutritional values of several brands of duck sauce. We will also look at alternative, healthier options to the usual salt and sugar-laden duck sauce. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Does duck sauce contain MSG?
No, most commercial duck sauce does not contain monosodium glutamate. However, if you need to avoid MSG, you should check the label of the duck sauce before consuming it. None of the duck sauces reviewed above listed MSG as an ingredient. However, many Chinese restaurant dishes are prepared using MSG. It is also a good idea to check with your server or chef in a restaurant if you are trying to avoid MSG.
Popular Duck Sauce Brands and Nutritional Facts
Chinese food is a favorite for many. For the health-conscious among us, it’s can be a challenge to stay on track when eating out. If you have a food allergy or sensitivity, it can especially be difficult when eating at a restaurant or when ordering takeout. Luckily, most duck sauces are gluten-free.
Dai Day Sweet & Sour Duck Sauce
A basic fruit-based duck sauce for use as a dipping sauce or as a marinade.
Ingredients:
- Apricots
- Peaches
- High fructose corn syrup
- Water
- Modified corn starch
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate (as preservatives)
- Spices
- Natural flavor
Warning: Contains Sulfites
Nutrition Per 37 g (2 Tablespoons):
- 70 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 330 mg Sodium
- 19 g Total Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 17 g Sugars
Mee-Tu Sweet and Pungent Duck Sauce
A traditional duck sauce to eat along with roasted duck or other meat, as a marinade for pork and chicken or as a dipping sauce for eggrolls.
Ingredients:
- Apricots
- Peaches
- High fructose corn syrup
- Water
- Modified corn starch
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate (as preservatives)
- Spices
- Natural flavor
Nutrition Per 37 g (2 Tablespoons):
- 70 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 300 mg Sodium
- 19 g Total Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 17 g Sugars
KA-ME Duck Sauce
A tangy dipping and cooking sauce made with sweet pineapple and mango.
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Water
- Peaches
- Mango and pineapple juice
- Corn starch
- Salt
- Vinegar
- Paprika powder (for color)
- Xanthan gum
Warning: Produced in a facility that processes soy, wheat, fish, dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish.
Nutrition per 17 g (1 Tablespoon):
- 35 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 95 mg Sodium
- 9 g Total Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 9 g Total Sugars
- 7 g Added Sugars
Roland Sweet and Sour Duck Sauce
A basic tangy sauce for dipping eggrolls, basting grilled meats, or to use as a marinade.
Ingredients:
- Water
- Peaches and/or apricots (contains sulfites)
- Sugar and/or corn syrup
- Vinegar
- Modified food starch
- Salt
- Spices
- Less than 0.1% sodium benzoate (added as a preservative)
Nutrition Per 50 g (3 Tablespoons):
- 50 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 9 g Sugars
- 240 mg Sodium
- 12 g Carbohydrates
Healthier Alternatives to Duck Sauce
These alternative dips, sauces, and marinades have less sugar and sodium, yet taste delicious. All the choices listed below are gluten-free and vegan. All are great choices for dipping eggrolls, eating with meats, basting grilled meats, or using as a marinade for meats.
Stonewall Kitchen Mango Chutney
Delicious as a dip, marinade, or added tableside to meats. This sauce is gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO.
Ingredients:
- Mangos
- Pure cane sugar
- Apples
- Onions
- Water
- Raisins
- Brown sugar
- Red bell peppers
- Cider vinegar
- Lime juice
- Mustard seed
- Spices
- Curry powder
- Salt
- Canola oil
- Ground ancho chile pepper
- Xanthan gum (natural thickener)
- Garlic powder
- Dried red bell pepper granules
- Red pepper flakes
Nutrition Per 15 g (1 Tablespoon):
- 20 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 5 mg Sodium
- 6 g Total Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 6 g Total Sugars
- 4 g Added Sugars
Annie’s Organic Gluten-Free Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
Annie’s makes lots of great, organic foods and condiments and this tangy dressing is sure to please your tastebuds.
Ingredients:
- Water
- Expeller pressed soybean oil
- Tamari soy sauce (water, soybeans, salt, alcohol)
- Honey
- Rice vinegar
- Expeller-pressed toasted sesame seed oil
- Ginger
- Xanthan gum
Warning: Contains soy and sesame ingredients
Nutrition Per 31 g (2 Tablespoons):
- 90 Calories
- 8 g Total Fat
- 1 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 250 mg Sodium
- 4 g Total Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 3 g Total Sugars
- 3 g Added Sugars
Farmhouse Lab Sunny Avocado Real Food Dressing
With apricots and apple cider vinegar, this tangy dressing is a great dip and marinade option. It’s also gluten-free, vegan, and USDA Organic Certified.
Ingredients:
- Avocado oil
- Organic apple cider vinegar
- Organic olive oil
- Organic apricot spread (organic apricots, organic cane sugar, apple pectin, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) Citric Acid)
- Celtic sea salt
Nutrition Per 30 mL (2 Tablespoons):
- 150 Calories
- 16 g Total Fat
- 2 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 340 mg Sodium
- 4 g Total Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 3 g Total Sugars
- 3 g Added Sugars
Primal Kitchen Balsamic Vinaigrette and Marinade
This sauce is made with avocado oil and is certified gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegan.
Ingredients:
- Organic balsamic vinegar (organic wine vinegar, organic concentrated grape must)
- Avocado oil
- Water
- Sea salt
- Organic lemon juice concentrate
- Organic garlic powder
- Organic onion powder
- Konjac root
- Organic black pepper
- Organic basil
- Organic oregano
Nutrition Per 2 Tablespoons (1 fluid ounce):
- 100 Calories
- 5 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 125 mg Sodium
- 3 g Total Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 1 g Sugars
Mr. Spice Garlic Steak Sauce
Not just a steak sauce, but a delicious marinade and dipping sauce. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO.
Ingredients:
- Water
- Organic apple cider vinegar
- Organic blackstrap molasses
- Organic tomato paste
- Organic cane sugar
- Organic raisins
- Potassium chloride
- Organic lemon juice concentrate
- Organic rice starch
- Organic caramel color
- Organic tamarind
- Organic ginger puree
- Organic spices
- Organic onion
- Organic garlic
- Natural flavor
- Organic horseradish
- Xanthan gum
- Organic spice and citrus extracts
- Organic ginger oil
- Natural hickory smoke flavor
Nutrition Per 15 ml (1 Tablespoon):
- 20 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 4 mg Sodium
- 4 g Carbohydrates
- 3 g Sugars
Final Thoughts
Like many of our favorite condiments, most duck sauces are gluten-free. However, anyone who needs to avoid gluten should always check the label of the product in question. At a restaurant, it’s best to check with a knowledgeable server or the chef to be sure the food is gluten-free and that any condiments are as well.
Duck sauce is also high in sugar and calories. In addition, many duck sauces contain other unhealthy ingredients, often including artificial sweeteners and flavors.
However, there are many healthier alternatives to duck sauce. The alternatives listed above are all healthier, tasty options to most commercial duck sauces.
Related Questions
Is duck sauce keto?
No, commercial duck sauce is not appropriate for a keto diet. Those following a keto diet usually avoid excess carbohydrates and sugar-laden foods. Most commercial duck sauce is high in carbohydrates and sugars and low in fiber.
Is duck sauce spicy?
No, most commercial duck sauce is very sweet and usually not spicy. There are some exceptions and some homemade recipes for duck sauce are spicier.
Is duck sauce made from ducks?
No, there is no duck in duck sauce. In fact, there are no meat or animal ingredients in the condiment. Most commercial duck sauce is usually made from dried fruits, sugar, spices, and vinegar.
Why is it called duck sauce?
Most agree that the condiment is called duck sauce because it was traditionally served with deep-fried skinless duck. Because this dish lacked flavor and had no gravy, this sauce was created to serve alongside the duck. Now duck sauce is used as a condiment for many dishes and is especially popular as a dipping sauce for eggrolls.