Keeping the ketchup and mayo in the cupboard (or better yet, in the grocery store) can save you lots of calories. You probably know that. What you might not know is that ditching the condiments can help you eat less.

One small study found that fries with ketchup and brownies with a topping caused eaters to consume 25 to 40 percent more of these fattening foods -- not because the extras made the food taste better, but because they increased the time it took for the palate to get tired of the taste of the food.

Going condiment-free isn't the only strategy for cutting down on your consumption. You can minimize the variety in meals -- aim for a few fresh flavors and maybe even eat the same lunch every day, says Dr. Mehmet Oz. Also, before a meal, eat small amounts of healthy, unsaturated fat (olive oil, nuts, avocado, fish) to slow the rate at which your stomach empties -- this will cause you to feel fuller faster.

Source

We at That's Fit and AOL Health know you've got a lot going on in your lives besides staying in great shape, and we realize that more than just diet and exercise goes into feeling your best every day. That's why we're sharing some of the exciting reporting going on at AOL Health.

Negative calories -- they sound like the biggest diet loophole ever, but there may be a few catches. Learn the upside and disclaimers about this hot-button topic. Plus, check out our photo slide show of potentially negative-calorie foods.

Sure, you know that fast food can be seriously salty, but what about that innocent-looking shaker sitting on your counter -- do you wield it wisely? Check out what one nutritionist has to say about salt and your waistline.

While the content of your meal is probably packed with more calories, your condiment could be a diet-derailer too. Take our quiz to test your calorie-content knowledge of your favorite sauces, dips and more.

I often ask my son if he would like some scrambled eggs with his ketchup. (It's official ... I've turned into my mother.) Condiments can certainly add a little jazz to our foods, but many of them are high in fat, sodium and/or calories. So, just like you're smart with your food choices, it's also prudent to be careful with your condiments.

Healthcastle details what's in your favorite condiments. Want just the basics? Here you go:

• Mayonnaise. One tablespoon of regular mayo has about 100 calories, 85 milligrams of sodium and 10-12 grams of fat.
• Sour cream. Regular sour cream is 18 percent butterfat and one tablespoon has 26 calories and six milligrams of sodium.
• Mustard. About your best choice for topping a sandwich, mustard has only nine calories per tablespoon, but it does have 170 milligrams of sodium.
• Ketchup. One tablespoon has about 20 calories and 140 milligrams of sodium.
• Miso. One tablespoon has 40 calories and 750 milligrams of sodium.
• Soy sauce. Soy sauce has a mere eight calories per tablespoon, but it has 900 milligrams of sodium.

Keep in mind that the listed nutrition information can vary according to brand.

Source

When it comes to healthy lunches, packing your own is one of the best ways to make sure you're not overdoing it on calories and fat. And what is synonymous with a brown bag lunch? A sandwich. But nutritionally speaking, not all sandwiches are created equal, even homemade ones.

According to eDiets, just one tablespoon of mayo will add 100 calories and 10 g of fat to your sandwich -- that's enough calories to add six pounds to your waistline each year!

Want a better choice that adds just a much flavor? Mustard is your best bet at a mere 10 calories per tablespoon. If you just can't stand your sandwich without mayo? Light mayo has about half the fat and calories.

Source

With the temperature on the rise these days, it may soon be time to break out the grill and officially kick off backyard BB-Q season. Generally speaking, hot dogs, hamburgers and the like aren't known for being the healthiest of foods. But, there are always little healthy switcheroos you can pull on your guests without them even tasting the difference. Turkey burgers instead of ground beef, whole wheat buns instead of those made from enriched flour ... that sort of thing. Still, even with your best intentions at keeping the calories and fat to a minimum, there may be something you're forgetting: the condiments.

That little tablespoon of mayonnaise you slopped on your burger? 100 calories and 11g of fat. The barbecue sauce you slathered onto your ribs? 26 calories, including a good amount of sugar. And, who could forget about the pats of butter you spread across your rolls? Yup, those will cost you 102 calories and 12g of fat. While these, in and of themselves, may not seem to be all that damaging, you have to remember that they aren't the actual food; rather, they are simply what you're adding to it!!

If you want your turkey burgers or turkey hot dogs on whole wheat buns to stay as healthy as they can, swap out ketchup (15 calories per tablespoon) for mustard (10 calories). As for the dips for your chips, don't even think about the 60-calorie and 6g of fat per tablespoon ranch dip. Instead, reach for the fresh salsa, which usually has only 4 calories and 0 fat.

Source

We all know by now that salt is bad for us. But the truth is, it's almost everywhere. How can we reduce the sodium in our diets without reducing the flavour? Mark's Daily Apple has some excellent suggestions that I wanted to share:

1. Make your own condiments and dressings. I make my own caesar dressing and it's twice as tasty with less sodium
2. Watch your portions of salt-rich things. Sushi wouldn't be the same without soy sauce, but because -- it has a ton of salt.
   
3. Avoid cured meats, like bacon and sausages. There's a reason why they're tasty -- added salt!
4. Eat fresh. Avoid those frozen meals and processed foods -- they're salt-heavy.
5. Read the labels, and know what to look for. The RDI of sodium is 920-2300mg per day.

Want to know more? Click here.

How do you reduce salt from your diet?

Source