Whether eating, a hot dog, hamburger, or salad, folks love to lay on lots of flavorful condiments. Adding a little flavor through condiments isn’t an issue if done in moderation. However, the problem lies in that we often go overboard and douse our meals with them. Many condiments contain a great deal of calories, fats and sodium, all of which are bad for a healthy diet. Condiments also normally contain unhealthy additives and are stripped of any real nutritional value which adds insult to injury. Also, a recent study revealed that condiments actually cause people to eat more of the foods that are being dowsed in the tasty toppings. Researchers found that 25-40% more of foods were eaten when topped with condiments. Following are some of the worst condiment offenders which should be avoided as well as some tasty substitute suggestions.

Avoid Mayonnaise – This seemingly innocent condiment packs a whopping 24 grams of fat (4 grams saturated) and 100 calories per tablespoon. Mayonnaise has basically no vitamins and minerals making it void of nutritional value. You might think the low-fat and light versions are better, but they contain various additives to enhance flavor, such as the very unhealthy high fructose corn syrup which has been linked to insulin resistance and weight gain according to a report published in the American Journal of Nutrition by the Department of Nutrition, University of California.

Mayonnaise Substitutes – Avocados make excellent substitutes for mayonnaise because they also have a creamy texture and a similar flavor. Avocados are also high in fat, but they are monounsaturated fats which actually assist with lowering bad cholesterol. This healthy fruit also offers a good amount of both vitamin B6 and E. You should only use ½ of an avocado at a time since they are high in calories, although ½ of an avocado still contains fewer calories than one serving of mayo.

Avoid Pancake Syrup – This is especially true of artificial syrups because they contain high amounts of various sugars (remember, high fructose corn syrup is particularly bad for the health). Most brands of syrup contain over 400 calories and more than 100 grams of sugar per each ½ cup serving.

Pancake Syrup Alternatives – When it comes to topping off your pancakes, French toast and waffles, you don’t have to give up savory syrup all together. Some pure maple syrups are good to go, just be sure to check the ingredient label and put it back on the shelf if it contains numerous types of sugars like fructose, dextrose and glucose. If you have a hard time finding syrup containing only natural sugar, use jams or preserves (homemade is the best!), or simply add slices of sweet fruits.

Avoid Most “Cream” Foods – Most foods that contain the word “cream” in their description are generally ones to avoid. Sour Cream is 90% fat, harbors 60 calories in just 2 tablespoons and is void of nutrition. Cream Cheese is another no-no since each serving (1 tablespoon) contains 100 calories, is chocked full of fat and, like sour cream, lacks any nutritional value.

“Cream” Food Substitutes – Instead of using sour cream for your baked potatoes and tacos, slap on some healthy Greek yogurt which is lower in calories, yet still rich and creamy. Plus, Greek yogurt offers such goodies as vitamins B6 and B12, potassium, magnesium, calcium and riboflavin. When it comes to covering your bagel, Greek yogurt works for that too as well as a healthy portion of hummus.

Avoid Ranch Dressing – This yummy treat is not only a favorite on salads, but also as a vegetable dip (guilty!) and pizza topping. However, a 2 tablespoon portion of ranch dressing contains around 150 calories, 16 grams of fat and 12% RDA of sodium. You might think it offers some nutritional value, but it is completely void of vitamins and only possesses 1% calcium.

Ranch Dressing Alternatives – For salads, choose a healthy salad dressing such as those offered in vinaigrettes. For dips, try silken tofu which can be used as a dip base and contains calcium and protein.