When you are on the ketogenic diet, you need to stay on top of how many carbohydrates you consume every day. The general rule is that if someone eats more than 50 grams or 10% of their allotted calories through carbs, their body can break out of a state of ketosis. While you may eat condiments in small amounts, they still have the potential to add up quickly and take you over your carb limit. So should you avoid sauces like spicy mayo?
Spicy mayo is considered keto friendly if you only refer to the carbohydrate count per serving. However, most spicy mayo brands contain artificial and highly processed ingredients that are not allowed on “clean keto”. The best healthier keto-friendly alternatives to spicy mayo include Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo, Truff Hot Sauce, and Guy Gone Keto Thai Chili Sauce.
Let’s take a look at whether or not spicy mayo is healthy, if it is low FODMAP, and what alternatives you can choose from!
Contents
Is Spicy Mayo Healthy?
While spicy mayonnaise is low in net carbs, it should still be avoided on the keto diet because it contains many unhealthy ingredients, including sugar, which is a high-glycemic sweetener that will raise your blood sugar levels and prevent you from reaching ketosis. It can also contain vegetable oil – a highly refined oil that is prone to oxidation and may cause inflammation in the body. It is usually extracted using high heat and chemicals.
“Dirty keto” is a standard label for low-carb foods with unhealthy ingredients. You may still reach ketosis and lose weight with dirty keto, but it might also lead to health problems in the long run. Therefore, it is vital to get your fats from healthy sources so your body can burn clean fuel while on ketosis so you can achieve healthy weight loss.
Common Uses of Spicy Mayo
Spicy mayo is a delicious, spicy mayonnaise that can be used as a dip or sauce on many of your favorite foods. Spicy mayonnaise is commonly used worldwide, and you can spread it on your sandwich, mix it into your potato salad, make sauces with it, and more!
Spicy mayo is also a base for many other chilled sauces and salad dressings. It is prevalent on sushi rolls because of how well the savory, slightly sweet sauce goes with the earthy taste of fish, but it also complements beef, chicken, and tofu. You can either purchase spicy mayo from popular mayo brands or make it at home by just mixing a few simple ingredients.
Is Spicy Mayo Vegan?
Spicy mayonnaise is made by emulsifying eggs, oil, and some type of acid, whether it be vinegar or lemon juice. A spice component is then added through a hot sauce of choice. A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy (products made from the milk of other mammals), and eggs. Because mayonnaise has egg in it, it’s not vegan. Most commercial mayo brands don’t have dairy, but they may have some non-vegan ingredients.
Is Spicy Mayo Low FODMAP?
Spicy Mayo is high FODMAP because it is categorized with other spicy foods that can trigger IBS symptoms. A few common ingredients in spicy mayo are chili and capsicums peppers, both of which contain capsaicin that cause heat or burning sensations. Other spices that may be added are high in the natural chemical salicylates. These salicylates can also trigger gastrointestinal symptoms in some individuals. It is important to note that spicy foods often contain onion and garlic, which are high FODMAP foods that can also contribute to IBS symptoms.
A low FODMAP diet removes many dietary sugars (short-chain carbohydrates). These sugars can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine, draw fluid into the bowel, and ferment in the large intestine by bacteria which produces gas (hydrogen and methane).
Spicy Mayo Nutrition Facts
Whole Foods Market Organic Spicy Harissa Mayonnaise
Here is some important nutrition information to note (per serving):
- Calories: 100
- Total fat: 11g
- Total carbohydrate: 0g
- Total sugars: 0g
- Protein: 0g
These are the ingredients in the Whole Foods Market Organic Spicy Harissa Mayonnaise:
- Organic expeller pressed canola oil
- Organic red jalapeno peppers
- Organic whole eggs
- Filtered water
- Organic distilled white vinegar
- Organic egg yolks
- Salt
- Organic red bell peppers
- Organic caraway seed
- Organic garlic powder
- Organic mustard
- Organic distilled white vinegar
- Water
- Organic mustard seed
- Sea Salt
- Organic spices
- Organic red chile peppers
- Organic lemon juice concentrate
- Organic coriander
- Organic paprika
- Organic rosemary extract
- Mustard oil
Sir Kensington’s Chipotle Mayonnaise
Here is some important nutrition information to note (per serving):
- Calories: 90
- Total fat: 10g
- Total carbohydrate: 1g
- Total sugars: 0g
- Protein: 0g
These are the ingredients in Sir Kensington’s Chipotle Mayonnaise:
- Sunflower oil
- Egg yolks
- Water
- Organic lemon juice
- Distilled vinegar
- Tomato paste
- Salt
- Fairtrade organic cane sugar
- Chipotle powder
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Cumin
- Black pepper
- Citric acid
KPOP Foods Kimchi Mayo Sauce
Here is some important nutrition information to note (per serving):
- Calories: 110
- Total fat: 12g
- Total carbohydrate: 2g
- Total sugars: <1g
- Protein: <1g
These are the ingredients in the KPOP Foods Kimchi Mayo Sauce:
- Butter
- Garlic cloves
- Parmesan
- Parsley
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Kimchi Mayo
Chosen Foods Harissa Mayonnaise
Here is some important nutrition information to note (per serving):
- Calories: 90
- Total fat: 10g
- Total carbohydrate: 0g
- Total sugars: 0g
- Protein: 0g
These are the ingredients in Chosen Foods Harissa Mayonnaise:
- Organic blend oil (organic high oleic safflower oil, organic avocado oil, organic coconut oil)
- Filtered water
- Organic egg yolks
- Organic whole eggs
- Organic distilled white vinegar
- Organic mustard (distilled organic vinegar, water, organic mustard seed, salt, organic spices)
- Salt
- Organic rosemary extract
- Egg
Healthy Keto Alternatives to Spicy Mayo
Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo
This tasty mayo has no artificial sweeteners and a base of avocado oil that provides plenty of healthy fats!
Here is some important nutrition information to note (per serving):
- Calories: 100
- Total fat: 11g
- Total carbohydrate: 0g
- Total sugars: 0g
- Protein: 0g
These are the ingredients in the Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo:
- Avocado oil
- Organic eggs
- Organic egg yolks
- Water
- Organic vinegar
- Sea salt
- Organic lime juice concentrate
- Organic chipotle powder
- Lime granules
- Organic garlic powder
- Chipotle extract
- Organic rosemary extract
Truff Hot Sauce
Amp up the heat with this delicious hot sauce!
Here is some important nutrition information to note (per serving):
- Calories: 10
- Total fat: 10g
- Total carbohydrate: 1g
- Total sugars: 0g
- Protein: 0g
These are the ingredients in the Truff Hot Sauce:
- Truff chili blend (red chili peppers, vinegar, organic sugar, garlic, salt, black truffle)
- Organic agave nectar
- Olive oil infused with black truffle essence
- Lycopene (for color)
- Glycerin (for color)
- Organic cumin
- Xanthan gum
Guy Gone Keto Thai Chili Sauce
This tasty sauce is paleo and plant-based in addition to being low-carb!
Here is some important nutrition information to note (per serving):
- Calories: 10
- Total fat: 1g
- Total carbohydrate: 5g
- Total sugars: 0g
- Protein: 0g
These are the ingredients in the Guy Gone Keto Thai Chili Sauce:
- Water
- Ketosesweet (allulose, stevia extract, monk fruit extract)
- Distilled white vinegar
- Medium-chain triglycerides (derived from coconut)
- Sea salt
- Less than 2% of: spices, yeast extract, locust bean gum, gellan gum
Raw Avocados
Slight to moderate amounts of avocado on a ketogenic diet can be a great source of healthy fats!
Here is some important nutrition information to note (per serving):
- Calories: 160
- Total fat: 14.7g
- Total carbohydrate: 8.5g
- Total sugars: 0.7g
- Protein: 2g
These are the ingredients in the Raw Avocados:
- Avocado
Final Thoughts
Spicy mayo is keto-friendly if you are only regarding how many grams of carbohydrates are in each serving. Unfortunately, many spicy mayo brands add artificial ingredients and sweeteners that are only allowed on the dirty keto diet. And whether or not you eat keto, spicy mayo isn’t the healthiest option. You can try avocado or spicy sauces with minimal ingredients such as hot sauce, chili paste, and chili sauce instead!
Related Questions
Is Spicy Mayo Gluten-Free?
Yes, in most cases, mayonnaise is gluten-free. Mayonnaise or “mayo” is typically made from naturally gluten-free ingredients: eggs, oil, vinegar, lemon, and sometimes mustard/mustard seed or other spices. Mayo brands with a gluten-free label have passed thorough testing and are safe to eat for people with celiac disease.
Is Spicy Mayo Dairy-Free?
Although some may contain dairy ingredients, most mayo has nothing to do with any dairy products. Luckily, there is a clear distinction between the ones containing dairy and those that do not on their labels.
Does Spicy Mayo Contain Soy?
Most mayo contains soybean oil, which means spicy mayo contains soy. If not, the container label will state otherwise.
Can You Eat Spicy Mayo While Pregnant?
While it is safe to eat spicy foods when pregnant, it’s best to avoid homemade mayonnaise because it may contain undercooked or raw eggs. Commercial mayo is safe to eat during pregnancy as it’s made with pasteurized eggs.