Low-Sugar Barbecue Sauces for Summer Grilling

Nothing says summer more than a barbecue outside with family and friends to enjoy those long lazy days. Just the smell alone of that barbecue on the grill can bring back sweet memories of summers past. However, that barbecue sauce sitting beside your grill can pack in an even sweeter experience, as many brands can carry more sugar than you may realize.

In one of our recent “Love it, Like It, Hate it” segments, we address our top picks for barbecue sauces that won’t leave you with a bittersweet tooth, and which ones to avoid the next time you’re in the grocery aisle.

LOVE IT!

Stubb’s All-Natural Bar-B-Q Sauce

• Per 2 tbsp: 25 cals – 0 fat – 240 mg sodium – 6 grams carbs – 3 grams sugar – 0 protein
• Tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, molasses, tapioca dextrin, salt, brown sugar, spices

Austin’s Own BBQ Sauce

• Per 2 tbsp: 30 cals – 0 fat – 280 mg sodium – 8 grams carbs – 4 grams sugar – 0 protein
• Ketchup (tomato paste, vinegar, corn syrup, salt, etc.), vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire

LIKE IT!

Walden Farms Honey BBQ Sauce (also available in Original, Thick ‘N Spicy, Hickory Smoked)

• Per 2 tbsp: 0 cals – 0 fat – 210 mg sodium – 0 carbs – 0 sugar – 0 protein
• Water, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, vinegar, cellulose gel, salt, Sucralose

HATE IT!

KC Masterpiece Original

• Per 2 tbsp: 60 cals – 0 fat – 240 mg sodium – 15 grams carbs – 12 grams sugar – 0 protein
• Tomato puree, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, vinegar

Kraft Sweet & Spicy Chipotle Barbeque Sauce

• Per 2 tbsp: 60 cals – 0 fat – 360 mg sodium – 16 grams carbs – 14 grams sugar – 0 protein
• High fructose corn syrup, vinegar, water, tomato paste, molasses, sugar, apple cider vinegar…

Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce

• Per 2 tbsp: 70 cals – 0 fat – 290 mg sodium – 18 grams carbs – 16 grams sugar – 0 protein
• High fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, tomato paste, modified food starch

For more details on this topic, watch Molly’s “Love it, Like it, Hate it” segment on WGNO New Orleans.