Is Sriracha Keto? Does It Contain Sugar? Which Brand is the Safest?
Sriracha is so popular nowadays that some hardcore fans don’t hesitate to put it literally on top of ALL kinds of food. Whether it’s a boring burger or pretentious ice cream. But apart from the ice cream is Sriracha keto? US manufacturers love to add sugar to any product they can. (Particularly, if it’s something popular) So are your ketones safe with this spicy goddess?
Do you have a particular question about sriracha and keto? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page.
What is sriracha?
Sriracha is a hot sauce made of chili peppers paste, garlic, distilled vinegar, sugar, and salt. It’s widely used as a dipping sauce. And can be added as a condiment to various dishes – from soups to spring rolls and noodles.
This increasingly popular sauce originated in Thailand, in a seaside city of Si Racha. But many Americans recognize it as Vietnamese since it was introduced to the market by a Vietnamese refugee called David Tran.
He started selling sriracha back in 1980. And nowadays, it’s just blowing up and has even been labeled as “hipster ketchup.” It’s a robust global business, one of the fastest-growing in the US, and making more than $1 billion in revenue across the borders.
Health benefits of sriracha
Most of sriracha’s benefits come from its base – the red chili peppers. All spicy foods, chili peppers included, contain capsaicin. This powerful anti-inflammatory compound might help in boosting metabolism and limit fat accumulation.
There is also a decent amount of Vitamins A and C found in these peppers, which makes this ingredient a good antioxidant. And some studies also showed that chili peppers can help manage blood sugar levels too. And that’s just to name a few.
Why is sriracha bad for you?
There aren’t as many bad things about this sauce. First, it’s quite high on Sodium. If you only eat 1 teaspoon a day, you are going to be okay. But considering how widespread the sauce is – it’s literally everywhere – the total amount of Sodium might add up.
As claimed by the American Heart Association (AHA), nine out of 10 adults consume excessive amounts of Sodium. Add a few extra squirts of high-sodium sriracha, and you are shortcutting your way to heart failure and various kidney diseases.
Another thing to mention is that chilis and the garlic in sriracha could lead to heartburn and various gastrointestinal disturbances. And it’s more than possible for people who are prone to be sensitive to spicy food.
Does sriracha have sugar?
Even though the base ingredient of sriracha is red chili, sugar is also included in the recipe.
And many brands will even use high amounts of sweetener in their formulas. So that sauce might add up to your daily carb without you even noticing.
Is sriracha keto-friendly?
Depending on the brand, the answer can be yes and no.
So you should always look at the product’s label to make an informed judgment about the sauce’s macros and ingredients’ quality. Thus you’ll be able to make a decision about keto-friendliness on a case by case basis.
Let’s have a look at two popular options together.
sriracha recipe by Bushwick Kitchen is made of tapioca syrup, water, brown rice, red pepper powder, salt, soybean, garlic, onion, water, sugar, garlic, and vinegar.
By scavenging the Internet, I found that it has 24 calories, 700mg of Sodium, and 1g of protein per serving. Also, there are 9g of carbs in sriracha sauce (1g being fiber, so it’s 8g of net carbs). Which I find quite confusing since the serving size is only 6g.
But since this product doesn’t list nutritional value on the packaging (which I find very dodgy), I have to trust the data from the Internet strangers.
All in all, I’d pass on this brand due to the labeling situation and tapioca syrup, brown rice, etc.
The is made of chili, sugar, salt, garlic, distilled vinegar, potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite, and xanthan gum.
One serving (1 teaspoon) has 5 calories, 1g of sugar, 1g of carbs, and 80mg of Sodium. I’d say this sriracha is keto-friendly enough for me, even despite the sugar content.
Keto substitute for sriracha
If you want to go full keto-purist and opt-in for sriracha with zero sugar, the only alternative is to make the sauce yourself. You can skip the sugar altogether or use keto alternatives. The product holds up well in a fridge, so it might be worth a try.
Keto sriracha recipe
Healthier and quick to put together sugar-free sriracha keto alternative
Notes
Wear gloves while making sriracha. Otherwise, your fingers might burn.
This sauce will hold up in the fridge for up to 4 months.
One serving of the homemade keto sriracha has 1.05g of net carbs, zero sugars, or none of any non-clean-keto ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 lb of red chilies
- 6 cloves of garlic, peel and chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp of pink Himalayan salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup of erythritol
Instructions
- 1. Cut in half chilies and bell pepper and clean up the stems and seeds.
- 2. Blend bell pepper, chilies, garlic, salt, vinegar, and salt in a food processor till it feels like a smoothie.
- 3. Pour the sauce into a clean 1-quart glass jar. Securely cover it with a cheesecloth (it has to breathe) and put in a cool, dark place for 4-7 days.
- 4. Starting from day 4, you may begin tasting it and decide whether or not to keep the sauce fermenting for longer.
- 5. Once it tastes to your liking, briefly process it with olive oil and sweetener in your blender again.
- 6. Sift it through the fine mesh to remove excess liquid. And transfer the drained sauce to a jar with an airtight lid to store in a fridge or eat it right away.
Nutrition Facts
Keto sriracha | Recipe Card
Serves: 190
|
Amount Per Serving: 1 teaspoon
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 9 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 0.3g | 0% | |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0 | |
| Trans Fat 0mg | ||
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0 | |
| Sodium 7mg | 0.3% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 1.75 | 0.3% | |
| Dietary Fiber 0.7g | 0% | |
| Sugars 1g | ||
| Protein 2.7g | ||
| Vitamin A 0mg | Vitamin C 0mg | |
| Calcium 1mg | Iron 0.2mg | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Vegan Keto Diet Recipes and Tips
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