Low-Quality Pasta Sauces You Should Leave At The Store
If you're looking for natural, healthful ingredients that capture the taste of Italy, then there are certain pasta sauces you'll want to absolutely avoid. These are some of the worst offenders.
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00:00If you're looking for natural, healthful ingredients that capture the taste of Italy, then there
00:05are certain pasta sauces you'll want to absolutely avoid. These are some of the worst offenders.
00:11Prego is a familiar sight in grocery store aisles. But familiarity doesn't guarantee
00:16quality, which is evident in the brand's traditional Italian sauce, thanks in particular to the
00:22presence of added sugars. When used in moderation, sugar can help balance the natural acidity
00:27of tomatoes. But Prego's inclusion of four added grams makes for too many empty calories.
00:33This is pointless."
00:34Prego also uses canola oil, a choice likely driven by cost-effectiveness rather than flavor
00:40or quality. Canola oil lacks the distinctive taste and health benefits associated with
00:46extra virgin olive oil, a traditional ingredient in homemade pasta sauces that's rich in antioxidants
00:52and essential fatty acids. So while Prego's traditional Italian sauce might be convenient
00:58and affordable, it's not exactly a high-quality choice.
01:03Prego's Homestyle Alfredo sauce is marketed as a comforting and convenient option for
01:08an Italian dinner, but it contains several less-than-ideal ingredients. One of the most
01:13pressing issues is the lack of specification regarding the type of Parmesan cheese used.
01:19This is especially concerning for an Alfredo sauce, which typically requires a lot of Parmesan
01:25to create its signature flavor and consistency. True D.O.P. Parmigiano-Reggiano, which is
01:31the highest-quality Parmesan, requires specialty labeling that confirms that the product is
01:36from where the brand claims it is. The absence of a D.O.P. label indicates a lower-quality
01:42cheese in Prego's Alfredo, which is perhaps unsurprising given its affordable price.
01:48Additionally, this sauce contains modified food starch. While generally considered safe
01:53to consume, modified food starch is often used as a thickening agent and has little
01:58to no nutritional value. Its presence can also be a concern for gluten-sensitive people
02:03who may not expect gluten-based ingredients to be present in an Alfredo sauce.
02:09Prego takes one more spot on this list with its traditional Italian meat sauce, which
02:14perhaps unsurprisingly contains added sugars and uses canola oil. Once again, it's clear
02:20that Prego is focused more on affordability than quality. Furthermore, there's no specification
02:25about the type of beef used in the sauce, which could turn off shoppers who like to
02:30know more about the quality of the meat they're eating. Then there are ingredients like beef
02:34extract, dried beef stock, natural flavorings, and beef fat, which indicate a reliance on
02:40additives rather than higher quality and more flavorful meat. For pasta fans who are
02:45on the lookout for a top-notch meat sauce, Prego simply isn't the best choice.
02:50"'Gotta be no dog.'"
02:52Bertolli is another popular brand of mass-produced jarred pasta sauces. Its tomato and basil
02:58variety aims to capture the essence of authentic Italian cuisine, but it falls short due to
03:03some lower-quality ingredients. For one thing, its tomatoes have been treated with calcium
03:09This additive is commonly used to maintain the firmness of tomatoes during processing,
03:14but it can also impart a metallic aftertaste. As tomatoes are arguably the most important
03:19ingredient in the sauce, it's essential that their quality and flavor is up to par. Then
03:24there's the matter of 11 grams of sugars per serving.
03:28Sugar isn't an unusual ingredient in pasta sauce, but its presence in larger quantities
03:34can negatively affect the nutritional profile, in addition to overpowering the taste of the
03:39tomatoes and the basil. These ingredients suggest that Bertolli is focused on creating
03:43a shelf-stable, cost-effective product, rather than delivering something that highlights
03:48the natural flavors of its ingredients.
03:51Hunt's Traditional Pasta Sauce is another option that is widely available and affordable,
03:56but that also has several questionable ingredients. One significant concern is the use of high-fructose
04:03corn syrup, a cheap sweetener that adds unnecessary sugars and calories. This ingredient isn't
04:08necessarily better or worse than table sugar, but the fact that it's cheaper than sugar
04:13means that it can be used in higher quantities. And in Hunt's Traditional Pasta Sauce, there
04:18are six total grams of sugar, which can result in an overly sweet sauce that strays from
04:24more balanced traditional Italian flavors.
04:26Hunt's also utilizes tomato puree as a primary ingredient, which can indicate the use of
04:32lower-quality tomatoes. That's because tomato puree is often made from reconstituted tomato
04:38paste, which may lack the vibrant flavor and texture of fresh, whole tomatoes.
04:42Ah, tomato on tomato.
04:45Hunt's also offers a meat-based take on pasta sauce, which is similarly affordable and convenient
04:51like its traditional sauce. Alas, the similarities don't end there, as it also contains some
04:56concerning ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup. Meanwhile, the label lists less
05:01than 2 percent meat content, which is remarkably low for something that's in fact marketed
05:07as a meat sauce. Although, to be fair, a closer look at the label reveals that it's actually
05:12meat-flavored.
05:13Furthermore, there's little information regarding the specific type of beef used, which could
05:18be a red flag if you value transparency about the grade of meat that you're eating, or want
05:23to know how the animals were treated. Lastly, this sauce contains hydrolyzed soy, corn,
05:29and wheat proteins. These ingredients are commonly used to enhance flavor and texture,
05:34but they can also trigger food allergies in some people. Although their inclusion is not
05:38immediately dangerous, it does indicate a highly processed product that you'll want
05:43to avoid if you're looking for something more natural and wholesome.
05:47Walmart is known for its low prices, particularly with its in-house brand, Great Value. A budget-friendly
05:53option is nice, but what's not so nice about Great Value are all the ingredients common
05:58in lower-quality sauces. As with many of the selections on this list, one of the primary
06:04issues here is the addition of sugar. Great Value's traditional pasta sauce contains 3
06:09grams of added sugar, which is 6 percent of the daily recommended value. That contributes
06:14to a total of 10 grams per half-cup serving, which might not sound like much, but it can
06:19add up quickly if you love eating pasta.
06:22I love it, I love it, I love it!"
06:25Then there's the fact that Great Value's sauce is primarily made with tomato puree, as opposed
06:30to whole tomatoes. Additionally, it also uses soybean oil, which, while economical, doesn't
06:36offer the same flavor punch or health benefits of higher-quality alternatives like olive
06:41oil.
06:42Kroger's Classic Tomato Traditional Pasta Sauce is another convenient and accessible
06:47option that utilizes several subpar ingredients. For starters, it primarily consists of tomato
06:53puree rather than whole tomatoes. And as is the case with many of the brands on this list,
06:59it also contains added sugar. The result is an excessive calorie and sugar count, specifically
07:0510 grams of the latter in just half a cup.
07:08And that added sweetness can certainly take away from the expected flavor of an authentic
07:12Italian tomato sauce. Another significant concern with Kroger's pasta sauce is its use
07:18of soybean oil, which fails to impress with its neutral flavor and rather unimpressive
07:24nutritional profile. Once again, the running theme here is that this is yet another brand
07:28that appears to be more concerned with cutting costs rather than making the highest-quality
07:33product possible.
07:35Del Monte's Traditional Pasta Sauce is another affordable option that's understandably a
07:40popular choice for budget-conscious shoppers. However, as with most of the other sauces
07:45on this list, that increase in savings translates to a loss in quality. First off, there's the
07:51use of high-fructose corn syrup. Despite its economical nature, high-fructose corn syrup
07:56adds extra sugar and calories to the sauce, with a total of eight grams of the former
08:01in a half-cup serving, four of which are of the added variety.
08:06Soybean oil is another ingredient commonly used in low-quality sauces, and Del Monte
08:10is no exception. Once again, the bottom line is that this brand is aiming to offer a less
08:15expensive product as opposed to an extremely high-quality one.
08:20Good & Gather Traditional Pasta Sauce is a part of Target's in-house brand of grocery
08:26products, some of which have garnered quite a lot of praise. This sauce is undeniably
08:30a steal for shoppers working with tight budgets, and Good & Gather deserves some goodwill for
08:36avoiding artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. However, there are a few other ingredients
08:41on the label that may raise some eyebrows. That's in part because this sauce contains
08:46added sugar, and it should be abundantly clear at this point that health-conscious shoppers
08:51should be on the lookout for additional sugar in any processed product.
08:55Meanwhile, if you want to know exactly what oil is used to make your sauce, then you'll
08:59probably end up frustrated by Good & Gather. The label indicates vegetable oil, but also
09:05reads cottonseed oil and or canola oil and or soybean oil. This could certainly be a
09:12drawback for plenty of shoppers, as this lack of specificity suggests that the sauce could
09:17contain any of these oils, each potentially varying widely in flavor, nutritional profile,
09:23and quality. If it's unrefined cottonseed oil, then that's one of the less desirable
09:28options due to its high saturated fat content and potential for containing a toxin known
09:34as gossypol. Gossypol has been linked to infertility and liver damage, although it's
09:40worth noting that it is removed during processing. Meanwhile, soybean and canola oils are more
09:45common, but they aren't as flavorful as the more traditional extra virgin olive oil.
09:51Chef Boyardee's spaghetti sauce with meat is certainly a nostalgic choice for plenty
09:56of shoppers, but get ready to be betrayed by the chef's use of lower-quality ingredients,
10:01including high-fructose corn syrup. On top of that, this brand doesn't specify the quality
10:06of its meat, as the packaging simply states beef as an ingredient. This could be a concern
10:12for anyone who prioritizes humane practices for the animals that they eat. That lack of
10:17transparency is certainly concerning if you're looking for the highest quality possible.
10:22Surprisingly enough, carrots are also listed as an ingredient, suggesting that the amount
10:28of meat used in the sauce is low compared to higher-quality or homemade sauces. In other
10:33words, those orange veggies could be a filler product meant to bulk up the sauce. Although
10:38Chef Boyardee might satisfy you if you're just trying to indulge your nostalgia, it's
10:43probably worth skipping if you're instead trying to make the most delicious meal that
10:47you can.
10:48While it aims to offer a convenient take on a classic Italian pasta sauce, Barilla's
10:58Traditional Basil Pesto Sauce is missing some of the high-quality ingredients typically
11:03associated with homemade pesto. Traditional pesto is made primarily with olive oil, which
11:09is beloved for its rich flavor and heart-healthy fats. However, Barilla's version uses sunflower
11:15oil, a less expensive alternative that doesn't provide the same health benefits. That means
11:20that the rich, authentic flavor that olive oil imbues into pesto sauces is simply missing
11:26here.
11:27Another concern on the ingredient list is the inclusion of the hard-to-define natural
11:31basil flavor. That sort of thing might sound unnecessary if fresh basil is already a primary
11:37ingredient — and according to the label, it is. The use of such flavoring suggests
11:42that the actual basil content or quality may be lower than expected, with Barilla
11:47relying on enhancements to achieve its desired taste.
11:51For anyone seeking a delicious and healthy pesto sauce, Barilla's use of sunflower oil
11:56and vague flavorings makes it a less-than-appealing option. It may just be enough to convince
12:01you to take the time to make some homemade pesto instead.
12:05Ragu's Classic Alfredo Sauce is an easy, affordable addition, but as you might expect, that low
12:11cost comes at a price. One of the issues is the use of soybean oil, and it's worth
12:16repeating that soybean oil doesn't offer much in the way of flavor or significant health
12:20benefits. Moreover, Ragu's Alfredo contains modified cornstarch, a common thickening agent
12:27that's often present in highly processed foods. And on top of all that, the label doesn't
12:32indicate the type or quality of the Parmesan cheese in this sauce. If it did contain the
12:37high-quality D.O.P. Parmigiano-Reggiano, then that would be evident as it would have to
12:42be displayed on the label. Simply put, low-quality, questionable ingredients aren't limited to
12:48one pasta sauce brand, so be careful the next time you're making your way through the grocery
12:53store.