There’s a reason salsa is one of the most popular condiments. Not only can it be paired with tortilla chips, but salsa can also instantly turn ho-hum meals into something special. A definite antidote against bland “diet” food or the need to make complex recipes for the sake of good taste. Dump a bunch of salsa on what is almost guaranteed to be bland chicken breast, and you suddenly have something worth eating.
Meals with more flavor without sacrificing nutrition. Whether you prefer it spicy or mild, chunky or smooth, it is always good to have a jar of salsa on hand. After all, taco night is just around the corner. Salsa is certainly good for more than just using as a dip for chips. It’s an incredibly versatile condiment that can bring life to eggs, chicken, fish, salads, baked potatoes, you name it.
Let’s not overlook the nutritional virtues. Salsas tend to be much more calorie conscious than dips, sauces, and dressings, and are typically made with ingredients like tomatoes that have some nutritional firepower.
And while homemade salsa is delicious, it’s not always convenient to make, which is where store-bought comes in handy. And the classic supermarket condiment has evolved into something much more special since it became popular in American households in the 1970s. So many brands, so many amazing flavors ranging from salsa verde to pico de gallo. But not all commercial salsas are created equal—some are sullied with extra salt, added sugars, and odd-sounding preservatives. With so many options available, finding a salsa to best suit your health goals can seem perilous.
In order to solve this conundrum, we slogged through the condiment aisles and read countless nutrition labels to figure out how to choose the healthiest salsa every time, and then found a few that play by the nutritional rules. No longer will a lackluster store-bought salsa leave your game day spread in nutritional ruins. Let’s break down what truly matters.
How to Choose a Healthy Store-Bought Salsa: 5 Nutrition Rules
Choosing the healthiest store-bought salsa can be a skill, and like any skill, it gets easier with practice. Don’t get bogged down by calories—salsa is naturally low-calorie. Instead, focus on these elements that differentiate a great salsa from one that isn’t worthy of a double dip.
The Ingredient List: The ingredients should read like a recipe you’d make at home: think tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, and salt. If you see head-scratching words like sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, or xanthum gum, it’s a sign of a more highly processed product.
Sodium Content: This could be priority number one for salsa nutrition. Those jars of salsa can be a sodium bomb, which is even more problematic if you are already serving it with salty foods like tortilla chips. For some people, going overboard on sodium can be detrimental to heart health. Look for salsas with under 160mg of sodium per serving (a serving is typically two tablespoons, which few people stop at). Some brands get this number below 100mg. Yes, It’s not hard to find brands that unleash 300mg or more sodium in a serving. Eat a normal amount of salsa, which for most of us is more than 2 tablespoons, and this can add up to a heart-breaking amount of sodium. Remember, if a brand has made a considerable cut in salt, it means that you won’t throw off your daily balance if you want to indulge a bit more in this chunky sauce.
Added Sugars: This should be big-fat zero. Tomatoes have natural sugar, which is perfectly fine. But there’s no reason for “sugar,” “corn syrup,” or “high-fructose corn syrup” to be found in the ingredient list. Brands may add sugar to make up for using inferior ingredients. The amount of sugar typically added to salsa is not a large amount, but over the course of the day, added sugar intake can add up, so it’s a good idea to look for ways to cut it out of your diet.
Bring the Heat: From a nutritional standpoint, the heat level has a negligible impact on the calories, sodium, or sugar. A “volcano” version of a brand will be virtually identical to the “mild” version in those respects. However, there can be some health benefits of choosing options that cause you to break out in a sweat. Capsaicin is the compound in chili peppers that gives them their fiery kick. And some research suggests consuming more capsaicin can help lower overall calorie intake and may have a beneficial impact on our microbiome. But if you prefer your salsa to be more tame, don’t worry. The core health benefits of salsa come from the vegetables, not the heat level.
The Big O: Choosing organic salsa means the ingredients (like tomatoes and peppers) were grown without the use of most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. A good thing for potentially reducing your exposure to these suspect chemicals. However, an organic salsa could still fall short nutritionally. Organic sugar is still sugar. So be sure to read nutrition labels carefully even if your salsa verde is certified organic.
Top 13 Healthiest Store-Bought Salsas Vetted by Nutritionists
These store-bought salsas consistently stand out for their good nutrition and fantastic taste.
Fast High-Protein Meal Prep: High-Protein Tex-Mex Flatbread Pizza
These quick, protein-packed individual pizzas are a perfect example of how having a jar of salsa stuffed in the pantry can bring more flavor to meals any day of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 flatbreads
- 1 cup refried beans
- 1 cup cooked sliced chicken
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup jarred salsa
- 1/2 cup sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup pickled jalapeño slices
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped
Cooking Directions
- Preheat oven broiler to high. Place a metal rack on a baking sheet.
- Brush both sides of flatbreads with oil. Place flatbreads on the rack in the baking sheet. Broil flatbreads until darkened on top, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the flatbreads.
- Turn flatbreads over and broil until darkened on the other side.
- Spread refried beans on flatbreads. Top with chicken, cheese, salsa, red onion, and pickled jalapeño. Place flatbreads back under the broiler and heat until cheese is melted.
- Blend together sour cream, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice and salt.
- To serve, top pizza with lettuce and tomatoes. Drizzle with sour cream mixture.
