Eyeing up some cocktail sauce but are not sure whether eating it will knock you out of ketosis? Well, here is all you need to know on whether this particular creamy condiment is keto-friendly.
So, is cocktail sauce keto? Cocktail sauce is typically not keto-friendly. Most brands and recipes are naturally high in carbohydrates, specifically sugar, where even a small amount may be enough to prevent you from burning ketones for fuel. That being said, some keto cocktail sauce recipes do exist and that you can follow and use to stay compliant.
Perhaps not what you were hoping to discover.
And in reality, it makes things a little tricky.
Either you may some of your own, that simply won’t be the same as the original, or you forgo it altogether.
Let us now see why before turning to a recipe you can try, should you still desire to consume it in some capacity.
Contents
Can You Have Cocktail Sauce On Keto?
Cocktail sauce is not a viable option on keto unless you specifically opt for keto-certified products, or make it from scratch yourself and opt for alternate ingredients to your typical recipe.
For the most part, Cocktail sauce is actually high in sugar.
In fact, most traditional brands and recipes are in almost direct contrast to what you are looking to achieve.
It is high carbohydrate and very low fat.
Not ideal, not ideal at all.
Now I am sure you are familiar with the guidelines.
But to remain in ketosis, which is the primary purpose of this diet, you need to consume no more than 20-50 grams of carbohydrate per day.
That’s not a lot, as I am sure you already know!
Well, if we look at the main and popular brands of cocktail sauce, namely Heinz and Kraft, we can soon see why this sauce is just not going to work.
Here is the ingredient list, and nutritional profile of Heinz:
| Heinz Cocktail Sauce | Kraft Cocktail Sauce | |
| Ingredients | Tomato Concentrate (Water, Tomato Paste), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled White Vinegar, Horseradish, Corn Syrup, Salt, Soybean Oil, Natural Flavorings (Contains Mustard), Dehydrated Onions, Spices, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder. | Water, Tomato Paste, Vinegar, Sugar, Horseradish, Salt, Contains Less Than 2% Of Modified Food Starch, Soybean Oil, Lemon Juice, Sorbic Acid As A Preservative, Lactic Acid, Natural Flavor, Artificial Flavor, Red 40, Yellow 6. |
| Carbohydrates, per serving (60g of sauce) | 17g | 13g |
| – Of which sugars, per serving (60g of sauce) | 12g | 9g |
I’ve highlighted the main offenders, but by this point, it’s pretty apparent.
This sauce is highly concentrated in carbohydrates and specifically, sugar.
And a 60gram serving really is not a lot – it generally works out at 1-3 tablespoons which is your average serving size – particularly if you are eating out at a restaurant.
So even in very small quantities, this condiment just will not do.
Besides, you’ll be having other foods that likely contain carbohydrates to some extent.
It’s almost impossible to limit them entirely.
What Brands Of Cocktail Sauce Are Keto-friendly?
There are very few brands of certified keto-friendly sauce. One exception is the Primal Kitchen brand.
You can take a look, and pick some up, over on the Primal Kitchen website.
And use my exclusive discount code, ‘wewantthesauce’, and get an extra 10% off your order.
Ideal.
Nevertheless, this sauce is really the exception rather than the norm.
And they are able to achieve their keto-friendly status and certification by altering the ingredients somewhat.
For reference, here is the ingredient list and nutritional profile, per serving, for this particular product:
Organic Tomato Puree (Water, Organic Tomato Paste), Organic Horseradish (Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Horseradish, Water , Salt), Organic Balsamic Vinegar (Organic Wine Vinegar, Organic Concentrated Grape Must), Sea Salt, Organic Parsley, Organic Tapioca Starch, Organic Garlic, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Garlic Powder, Organic Cinnamon
| Name | Total |
| Calories | 25 |
| Fat | 0g |
| Carbohydrates | 4g |
| – of which sugars | 2g |
| Protein | <1g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 500mg |
So, even with a keto-certified product, you still need to be careful of how much you eat.
4 grams of carbohydrates per serving can add up pretty quickly.
So you need to eat this in moderation, still.
How To Make Keto-Friendly Cocktail Sauce
Keto Cocktail Sauce Recipe
You can make your own keto-friendly Cocktail sauce with the following recipe. It only takes 5 minutes in total to prepare and make, plus only requires 6 ingredients.
Ingredients
- 200 ml of Double Cream
- 1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
- 2 Teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tabelspoons of sugar free Tomato Ketchup
- 1 Teaspoon of Tabasco Sauce
- ¼ Teaspoon of Salt
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and stir together until combined and smooth.
Notes
- You can serve, or you can refrigerate for up to one hour before serving for a slight boost to the flavor.
- Otherwise, add it to an airtight container, such as a closed jar, Tupperware, or similar storage vessel and store and use for up to 1 week!
Finally
Cocktail sauce is not a viable keto-friendly option.
For the most part.
That being said, there are certainly two different ways to enjoy this sauce:
- Seek out a keto-certified product, like Primal Kitchen,
- Make your own from scratch.
Both are good options.
But even with those workarounds, you are still going to need to be mindful about how much you eat.
You are going to need to eat just a serving at a time.
Otherwise, you’ll be out of ketosis!
Related Questions
Is there a lot of carbs in cocktail sauce?
Typical recipes of Cocktail sauce do usually contain a lot of carbohydrates, primarily in the form of sugar. That being said, there are low-carb options available on the market and recipes that you can follow to keep your carbohydrate consumption much lower.
Related Articles:
Wondering what other sauces you can have while on keto? Check out my following guides to find out!
Hello. I’m Jeremy – an experienced saucier who has worked in some of the top kitchens over the last few decades. With a love for sauces, food, and nutrition, I decided to create WeWantTheSauce. Here I share my knowledge and expertise; from ingredients and recipes to storage all the way through to recommendations for every sauce imaginable.