Salsa
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Every diet
Most salsa has no sugar and no flour.
The onion and garlic in most recipes put it out of low FODMAP range.
Fine for most people at normal amounts.
Rules by country
Salsa is a food, not an additive, so it has no E-number and no regulator has assessed it as one. It falls under the ordinary hygiene and composition rules that apply to a prepared vegetable product, and the jar has to follow the labelling rules of the market it is sold in. In Canada the ingredients are listed in descending order of weight.
What is it?
A jar of salsa is tomatoes cooked down with onion, garlic, chilli and a little vinegar or lime, which is why it keeps for weeks and tastes rounder than fresh salsa. USDA's pico de gallo entry lists 29 calories per 100 grams and 711 milligrams of sodium, so a 16-gram tablespoon is about 5 calories and 115 milligrams of sodium. The sugar runs to a few grams per 100 grams, which is why salsa is not the low-sugar choice it looks like on the shelf. The heat depends on the pepper and on nothing else.
Where it comes from: Salsa is chopped tomato with onion, chilli, lime juice and salt, and the word means sauce in Spanish. The recipes come from Mexico and Central America, where the tomato and the chilli had been grown and eaten for centuries before the sauces were written down.
Why it’s in food
- Topping nachos and tacos
- Spooning over eggs
- Dipping tortilla chips
- Flavouring grilled meat
- Stirring into rice dishes
Often found in
Also listed as: Salsa, Tomato salsa, Salsa roja, Salsa mexicana
Health & gut impact
A jar of salsa carries 711 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams, so a 16-gram tablespoon has about 115 and a quarter-cup serving passes 400. The NHS advises adults to keep salt under 6 grams a day, which is around 2,400 milligrams of sodium.
NHS, salt in your diet
Salsa is one of the few condiments that adds real vegetables and almost nothing else: a tablespoon has about 5 calories and a quarter-cup serving about 30. A little salt buys a lot of flavour for very little energy.
USDA FoodData Central, salsa
The tub of dip that sits by the chips is not the same food as the jar of salsa. USDA lists about 9.5 grams of fat per 100 grams for the cheese version, against 0.2 grams for plain salsa, so read which one the label is describing before comparing the numbers.
USDA FoodData Central, salsa con queso
What can I use instead?
Ratio: Use the same amount and add lime or vinegar to sharpen it
Best for: A smoother, sweeter dip
Ratio: Use half the amount and loosen it with water or stock
Best for: A thick base for a stew
Ratio: Use about a cup of tomatoes to a tablespoon of the jar, with the same onion and lime
Best for: Making it at home with less salt
Related
More sauces & dressings:
Common questions
Is salsa healthy?
It is about as close to a condiment with real vegetables as you will find. The calories are tiny, about 5 in a tablespoon, and the thing to watch is the salt, which comes to roughly 115 milligrams of sodium in every tablespoon.
Why is my salsa watery?
Tomatoes release water as they cook, and a jar that has been sitting in the fridge has often been strained or the tomatoes were drained first. Blot the top with a paper towel and it scoops better without draining the flavour out of it.
Is salsa vegan?
The classic recipe is tomato, onion, chilli, lime and salt, all of them plant-based. Watch for chicken or beef stock in some restaurant versions, and for cheese in the thick dip sold beside the chips.
Does salsa need to be refrigerated?
Once opened, yes. A jar that says keep refrigerated on the lid has to be, an unopened jar is fine in a cupboard until its date, and a home-made batch has none of the tested shelf life, so it is best eaten within a few days.
Is Salsa safe?
Generally safe (90/100). Salsa is a food, not an additive, so it has no E-number and no regulator has assessed it as one. It falls under the ordinary hygiene and composition rules that apply to a prepared vegetable product, and the jar has to follow the labelling rules of the market it is sold in. In Canada the ingredients are listed in descending order of weight.
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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
- NHS, salt in your diet
- USDA FoodData Central, salsa
- USDA FoodData Central, salsa con queso