Tabasco hot sauce has 12 kcal and 2640 mg sodium per 100 g. A few dashes are negligible in calories but the sodium per dash is meaningful. Capsaicinoids may raise resting metabolic rate by ~34 kcal/day (Irandoost et al., Phytother Res 2021, 13 RCTs) — too small to matter for weight loss.
How should I track Hot sauce, Tabasco?
Small amounts of Hot sauce, Tabasco add up faster than most people realize. A systematic review (Whitton et al., Adv Nutr 2022) found that condiments are among the most frequently omitted items in food logs — skipped 1–80% of the time. A tablespoon of mayo or dressing can add 50–100 calories, and most people use two or three tablespoons without measuring. The fix is simple: keep a teaspoon or scale near your plate and measure once. Sauces and dressings are often the hidden reason a "healthy" salad ends up at 600+ calories.