Hot sauce has 11 kcal and 2 640 mg sodium per 100 g. Virtually calorie-free but extremely sodium-dense – a teaspoon (5 g) adds 132 mg sodium. Most people undercount condiment sodium because the portions look tiny. Track the dashes; five shakes across a meal can approach 200 mg sodium.
How should I track Pepper or Hot Sauce?
Small amounts of Pepper or Hot Sauce 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.