Barbecue Sauce St Louis Sweet & Smoky
by Lasco
This barbecue sauce is heavily loaded with sugar (two different types listed in top 5 ingredients) and contains concerning additives including caramel color and sulfites. While it provides smoky flavor, the high sugar content and inflammatory seed oil make it a poor choice for regular consumption.
- Water – safe · Primary liquid base for the sauce, completely safe and necessary for consistency.
- Brown Sugar – controversial · First sugar source listed high in ingredients, contributing to high glycemic load and potential blood sugar spikes.
- Vinegar – safe · Natural preservative and flavor enhancer that's generally beneficial for digestion and blood sugar control.
- Tomato Paste – beneficial · Concentrated tomato product rich in lycopene and natural umami, provides nutritional value.
- Sugar – controversial · Second sugar source in top 5 ingredients, significantly increasing total sugar content and metabolic impact.
- Mustard – safe · Traditional condiment with anti-inflammatory compounds, adds flavor complexity without health concerns.
- Distilled Vinegar – safe · Part of mustard ingredient, natural preservative with potential digestive benefits.
- Mustard Seed – beneficial · Contains glucosinolates with potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Salt – safe · Essential mineral for flavor, though contributes to sodium content which should be monitored.
- Turmeric – beneficial · Natural spice with powerful anti-inflammatory compound curcumin, provides health benefits.
- Paprika – safe · Natural spice providing color and mild flavor, contains antioxidant compounds.
- Spice – safe · Generic spice blend, likely safe though specific composition unknown.
- Garlic Powder – beneficial · Dehydrated garlic with potential cardiovascular and immune system benefits.
- Soybean Oil – controversial · Highly processed seed oil high in omega-6 fatty acids that can promote inflammation when consumed regularly.
- Corn Starch-Modified – controversial · Chemically modified starch for thickening, highly processed ingredient that may affect gut microbiome.
- Natural Smoke Flavor – safe · Concentrated smoke compounds that provide barbecue flavor without direct carcinogen exposure from smoking.
- Caramel Color – controversial · Manufactured coloring that may contain 4-methylimidazole, classified as a possible carcinogen by IARC.
- Dehydrated Garlic – beneficial · Concentrated garlic with retained beneficial compounds including allicin precursors.
- Sodium Benzoate – controversial · Common preservative that can form benzene when combined with vitamin C, though risk is low in typical use.
- Sulfiting Agent – controversial · Preservative that can trigger severe reactions in sensitive individuals and may deplete B vitamins.
Natural smoke flavor
Contains turmeric and garlic
Vinegar provides some benefits
Very high sugar content
Contains soybean oil
Caramel color with carcinogen concerns
Sulfites for sensitive individuals
Highly processed ingredients
About This Analysis
This ingredient analysis for Barbecue Sauce St Louis Sweet & Smoky was performed by Truelabel, an AI-powered food scanner that grades products from A (excellent) to F (failing) based on ingredient quality. The analysis covers seed oil content, ultra-processed ingredients, preservatives, artificial colors, allergens, and potential health risks including cancer risk, hormonal disruption, and gut irritation scores.
Category: Sauces