Valentina Salsa Picante — OKAY

Munch or Dump rates Valentina Salsa Picante by Valentina OKAY — score 62/90.

A simple chili-and-vinegar hot sauce with almost no calories. The only knock is one synthetic preservative, sodium benzoate.

Why this verdict

• Short 6-ingredient list, mostly recognizable whole foods
• Chili peppers and vinegar are the base, not sugar or oil
• Essentially zero calories, sugar, and fat
• One synthetic preservative (sodium benzoate) keeps it from being fully clean

Ingredients (6)

• Water (safe) — Used as a basic ingredient in bread.
• Chili peppers (safe) — Real whole chilis; the source of heat and capsaicin, which is fine in food amounts.
• vinegar (safe) — Mild preservative and flavor enhancer.
• Salt (moderate) — Used in moderation, might exceed necessary amount.
• Spices (safe) — Real seasoning — the flavor comes from spices, not additive flavor systems.
• sodium benzoate (caution) — Chemical preservative for shelf life.

Healthier alternatives

• Tabasco Original Red Pepper Sauce
• Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce Red Pepper
• Tabasco Original Red Pepper Hot Sauce
• Cholula Salsa Picante Original
• Dank Sauce (Spicy Nopal Cactus)