Jamie Oliver is no stranger to controversy. But a statement posted to his Facebook page in February was perhaps the most divisive comment he’s made to date.
‘Let’s settle this…the fry-up is served. But what’s the move for sauce?,’ he posted alongside an image of a full English breakfast. ‘Hot take: It’s brown sauce or nothing. Ketchup is for chips!’
Fans were outraged, with many insisting his statement was nothing short of sacrilege.
The reaction speaks to recent figures that show brown sauce – including the most popular, HP – is falling out of favour with the British public.
Sales of the fry-up favourite have been dropping since 2014, with shoppers increasingly swapping ketchup and HP for trendy, exotic condiments such as sriracha and chilli crisp.
But experts say the tangy, tomato-based sauce may boast a health advantage – especially for those watching their waistline.
Here, experts reveal how it compares to other popular condiments and reveal surprising benefits as well as risks.
Vinegar, tomatoes, molasses, dates and spices are behind HP sauce’s tangy flavour
In February Jamie Oliver asked fans the ultimate question in the field of condiment etiquette
What is brown sauce?
Brown sauce began life as a condiment for meat and fish in the early 19th century. But it wasn’t until the late 1800s that the iconic HP sauce was invented.
The brainchild of Nottingham grocer Frederick Gibson Garton, the delicacy – originally named banquet sauce – was served to MPs in the Houses of Parliament, earning it the name HP sauce.
These days, there are a number of other brown sauce brands available – from Stokes to Tiptree.
However HP Sauce remains the most popular product, despite declining sales.
The recipe is a combination of vinegar, tomatoes, molasses, dates and spices like tamarind and cinnamon.
Is brown sauce healthy?
As far as condiments go, brown sauce isn’t too bad of an option.
Each 15g serving – equivalent to roughly a tablespoon – contains 18 calories, 3.5g of sugar, no fat and a microscopic pinch of salt.
According to Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a registered dietician, some of the sugar is naturally occurring in tomatoes and dates, meaning it’s not the type we have to limit to 30g, or seven teaspoons, daily.
There’s little difference in calories, sugar and salt compared to ketchup, she adds.
And, like the red sauce, brown sauce offers the benefits of tomatoes, says Rob Hobson, registered nutritionist and author of The Low Appetite Cookbook.
‘Tomatoes contain useful nutrients, including lycopene, which is an antioxidant, and processing tomatoes can actually make that lycopene easier for you to absorb.’
Britons get through some 28 million bottles of brown sauce every year, according to Heinz
And when compared to other popular, modern day condiments, such as Sriracha, the calorie count is even better – around 20 fewer, per 100g. There’s also a smidge less sugar than the hot sauce, and nearly six times less salt, which is good news for those watching their blood pressure.
Chilli crisp, meanwhile, has nearly five times the calories of HP.
However, both experts warn that a brown sauce habit is only healthy if the dollop on your plate isn’t much more than a tablespoon’s worth.
‘Many people pour sauces freely and could easily consume two or three servings without realising,’ says Ms Ludlam-Raine.
She adds that eating twice the recommended portion size will pack in 7g of sugar, which is almost two teaspoons. That’s the equivalent of roughly two chocolate digestive biscuits.
‘If you eat this amount daily, it could contribute to tooth decay and excess calorie intake, as well as raised blood pressure which can, over time, increase the risk of heart disease and stroke,’ says Ms Ludlam-Raine.
Mayonnaise may be a healthier condiment for those who aren’t bothered about the risk of weight gain.
While a tablespoon will deliver five times the calories of brown sauce, there’s virtually no sugar or harmful saturated fat, says Hobson.
Should anyone avoid brown sauce?
While a tablespoon of HP sauce contains around 0.2g of salt, this can quickly add up if you top up your serving.
‘Those with heart or kidney conditions who have been advised to reduce salt should be especially mindful of portion size,’ says Ludlam-Raine.
The NHS recommends healthy adults limit salt intake to around six grams per day.
Ludlam-Raine adds that diabetics who struggle to manage their blood sugar may be best either avoiding brown sauce, or eating it sparingly.
The condiment contains barley and rye – grains which contain gluten. Therefore, those with coeliac disease should give brown sauce a miss.
‘The vinegar and spices in brown sauce may also aggravate symptoms for some people with acid reflux,’ adds Ms Ludlam-Raine.
