The Best and Worst BBQ Sauces You'll Find in Stores

Summer is almost here, which means it's time for barbecues, cookouts, and time spent gathering with loved ones outside and eating your favorite foods. For barbecue lovers, finding just the right sauce can be a crucial part of the experience, but what about those who are trying to enjoy summer foods and stick to a healthy eating plan at the same time? Unfortunately, many store-bought BBQ sauces are loaded with sugars, sodium, and additives, making them a not-so-healthy choice for your meal. To help, we've gathered the best and worst barbecue sauces that you'll find on grocery shelves.

How we chose the best and worst BBQ sauces

• Additives: We looked for preservatives and additives like high-fructose corn syrup, which is used to sweeten sauces, or colorings like Red 40.
• Added sugars: Many sauces come with added sugars, which, in excess, can contribute to health problems like heart disease or diabetes.
• Sodium: The levels of sodium can be very high in bottled BBQ sauce because it's used as a preservative and flavor enhancer. Look for bottles with 250 milligrams or less if possible.

The Best BBQ Sauces on Store Shelves

Best: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Sensuous Slathering BBQ Sauce

Dinosaur is a lesser-known barbecue sauce brand but they're products are amazing. Their Sensuous Slathering Sauce has minimal, natural ingredients and doesn't use any preservatives. Plus, it keeps its sugar count relatively low.

Best: Stubbs Original BBQ Sauce

Stubb's is tough to beat when it comes to flavor and nutrition. With only five grams of sugar, 30 calories, and 250 milligrams of sodium, this sauce is an obvious choice for those who want something light.

Best: Primal Kitchen Organic Unsweetened BBQ Sauce

Primal Kitchen is a brand known for making tasty sauces that are low in sugar, use natural ingredients, and avoid preservatives, and their Organic Unsweetened BBQ Sauce is no exception.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Best: Fody Original Barbeque Sauce

Fody Original Barbeque Sauce is a great choice for those who may have a sensitive stomach or those who are trying to stick to low FODMAP foods. Made with tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and cane sugar, this sauce is gentle on the stomach and delicious on top of your barbecue sandwich.

Best: True Made Foods No Sugar Memphis BBQ Sauce

A sauce with "sweet & spicy" in the name usually means it's going to be packed with sugar, but this sauce from True Made Foods has zero grams of added sugars and only 6 grams of naturally occurring sugars.

The Worst BBQ Sauces on Store Shelves

Worst: KC Masterpiece Original

This sauce from KC Masterpiece is a beloved classic, but it's not a great choice for those who are watching their sugar intake. With 12 grams of sugar in a small 2-tablespoon serving, it's easy to rack up the added sugars without realizing.

Worst: Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce

Kraft is the most popular sauce on the list, but it doesn't make it the best. Their Original Barbecue Sauce is loaded with added sugars and contains potassium sorbate, a preservative found in many shelved foods.

Worst: Bull's Eye BBQ Sauce

Bull's Eye is another popular barbecue sauce you'll see on most grocery shelves, but this is another bottle that's full of added sugars. With 12 grams per serving, this bottle is one of the unhealthiest youl'l find.

Worst: Sweet Baby Ray's Original Barbecue Sauce

Sweet Baby Ray's is super tasty, but unfortunately, this sauce has the highest sugar count of any of the bottles on our list. Skip this one and go for an option that's much lower in added sugar.

Worst: Jack Daniel's Original BBQ Sauce

Jack Daniel's doesn't just do whiskey—they do barbecue sauce as well. Sadly, though, their sauce is full of sugar, so you'd be better off choosing something else if you're watching your intake.