Condiments for Lions and Otter Diet Types

When we educate our patients on their particular diet, we mainly focus on food and beverages. Sometimes we will ask for a food diary so that we can see exactly what a person is eating. Most people tend to leave off some very important additions to their diet – condiments. While a squirt of ketchup or a mound of barbeque sauce may seem ok, it may not be ideal for your Diet Type. So we want all of our patients to think before they dip! While some condiments may be safe, Lions and Otters especially need to be aware of the hidden sugars and preservatives in some common condiments. For each of the condiments listed below, we recommend organic when possible.

Mayonnaise

For Lions and Otters, mayonnaise is a good choice for a fat source. It is basically emulsion of oil and vinegar or lemon juice with egg yolks. It can be used to make chicken salad, tuna salad, etc. It is high in fat, about 10-12 grams for tablespoon so Lions are able to handle mayonnaise better than the other Diet Types, but portion control is still an important factor when using this condiment. But watch out for food allergies – eggs are among the most common food allergy we see and many people don’t realize that a prime ingredient in mayonnaise is eggs.

Sour cream

Another great source of fat for these higher fat diets, sour cream is simply cream that has been exposed to bacteria to make it “soured”. This can be a great topping to meaty chili, a small baked potato with cheese and bacon, or tacos. Just as with mayonnaise, Lions and Otters can process this fat source better than other Diet Types, but portions should be kept small. And anyone with a dairy allergy should be sure to steer clear of this condiment.

Ketchup

This may be the most popular condiment of all – great for a number of foods such as meat, eggs, potatoes, etc. We have seen some people load up on ketchup! What some people may not realize is that most non-organic brands of ketchup add high fructose corn syrup and/or corn syrup – leaving you with close to 4g of sugar for tablespoon. We know a lot of people who use much more than just one tablespoon of ketchup at a time. This is one condiment that Lions really need to be wary of!

Barbeque Sauce

So many different flavors to choose from! Barbeque sauce can be a favorite for a lot of us. But what you may not know is that just one tablespoon of barbeque sauce can have up to 8 grams of sugar! Now we know that a barbeque sandwich or a slab of ribs has multiple tablespoons of sauce – so you do the math. Beware, this condiment can send your diet in the wrong direction!

Teriyaki Sauce

The most obvious ingredients in teriyaki sauce are soy sauce and Asian spices. What you may not realize is that there is also pineapple juice concentrate and brown sugar (an of course, in non-organic brands loads of preservatives). Can you guess how much sugar that adds to one tablespoon? Close to 10 grams! So for Asian stir fries, teriyaki sauce is not the best choice. Either stick to small portions, or substitute with sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.

Ranch Dressing

Last but not least, many of our patients ask about Ranch dressing. Our answer, ok for Lions and Otters, but it has to be organic. Some of the ingredients include MSG, modified food starch, corn syrup, sodium benzoate, etc. An organic brand will keep it simple with oil, buttermilk, egg powder, vinegar and spices. High in fat, this is also a condiment to use as long as the portions are watched. And as with some condiments, food allergies are lurking in the ingredients.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email