There’s no shortage of pasta sauces to choose from and chances are when you’re searching for the perfect one, you’re not looking at the sugar content. But you should. It might surprise you to know that while some are filled with nutrient-rich ingredients, others are filled with junk like corn syrup and added sugar, which isn’t healthy. Consuming too much can lead to major problems like weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Paying attention to the amount of added sugar in foods is vital for your overall well-being and the American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women and no more than 9 teaspoons for men. So whether you’re managing sugar intake or just curious how much sweetness lurks in your pasta night, here’s 12 store-bought pasta sauces ranked from lowest to highest in sugar content.
Aldi’s Simply Nature Organic Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce
Aldi
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 45
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 470mg
Carbs: 9g (Fiber:2 g , Sugar: 5g)
Protein: 2g
Aldi’s Simply Nature Organic Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce is approved by the Good Housekeeping Nutritionist Approved Emblem, which you’ll see on the front label. That means it’s a practical and health-conscious choice. The sauce has 5 grams of sugar per serving, with no added sugars, plus it’s organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO with no artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors.
Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce
Trader Joe’s
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 90
Fat: 5g (Saturated fat: 1g)
Sodium: 550mg
Carbs: 10g (Fiber: 2g , Sugar: 6g)
Protein: 2g
Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce is crafted with tomato purée, diced tomatoes, soybean oil, dried onions, extra virgin olive oil, dried parsley, basil and oregano. The sauce contains 6 grams of sugar, with no added.
Ragú’s Old World Style Meat Sauce
Ragu
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 70
Fat: 1.5g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 490 mg
Carbs: 12g (Fiber: 2g , Sugar: 7g)
Protein: 2g
Ragú’s Old World Style Meat Sauce is a classic budget-friendly choice for shoppers, but has 7 grams of sugar per serving. The good news is there’s only one added gram. While that’s not as much as others on the list, it’s still not an insignificant amount of sugar.
Simple Truth Organic™ Marinara Pasta Sauce
Kroger
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 80
Fat: 3g (Saturated fat: .5g)
Sodium: 490 mg
Carbs: 11g (Fiber: 2g , Sugar: 7g)
Protein: 2g
The Simple Truth Organic™ Marinara Pasta Sauce from Kroger is rated 4.46 stars on the store’s website with mostly positive comments about the taste and texture, but it does have 7 grams of sugar, which includes 2 grams of added sugar.
Good & Gather Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
Target
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 170
Fat: 13g (Saturated fat: 6g)
Sodium: 360mg
Carbs: 13g (Fiber: 1g , Sugar: 7g)
Protein: 2g
If you’re in the mood to switch things up, Good & Gather Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce is a nice change from marinara sauce. The Target brand has a 4.5 rating with fans raving about the flavor and versatility, but be aware that it has 7 grams of sugar, 4 are added.
Prego Creamy Tomato with Garlic Sauce
Walmart
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 100
Fat: 6g (Saturated fat: 4g)
Sodium: 460 mg
Carbs: 11g (Fiber: 2g , Sugar: 8g)Protein: 2g
Prego Creamy Tomato with Garlic Sauce is not only good for pastas, but currys as well. The velvety smooth sauce pairs well with any pasta dish, but has 8 grams of sugar–two are added.
Del Monte Traditional Pasta Sauce
Walmart
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 60
Fat: 1g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 590 mg
Carbs: 21g (Fiber: 2g , Sugar: 8g)
Protein: 1g
Del Monte is a well known name and while their Traditional Pasta Sauce is a deal, it’s high in sugar and contains High fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is linked to health issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and more, per the Cleveland Clinic. The nutritional facts don’t reveal how much sugar is added, but since HFCS is made from corn starch and is a common type of added sugar, we know some of the 8 grams is added.
Prego Roasted Garlic & Herb Pasta Sauce
Walmart
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 70
Fat: 1g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 470mg
Carbs: 12g (Fiber: 3g , Sugar: 9g)
Protein: 2g
With the extra garlic and spices infused in Prego’s Roasted Garlic & Herb Pasta Sauce, you’re getting a flavorful sauce that’s ideal for any pasta, but you’re also getting 9 grams of sugar per serving, that includes 2 added grams.
Emeril’s Homestyle Marinara Sauce
Emeril’s Cooking
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 90
Fat: 3g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 470 mg
Carbs: 14g (Fiber: 2g , Sugar: 9g)
Protein: 2g
Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse is a household name and there’s no denying his recipes and meals are delicious, but his Homestyle Marinara Sauce should be skipped if you’re watching how much sugar you’re eating. Each serving has 9 grams of sugar, which includes three grams that have been added.
Prego Italian Sauce Flavored with Meat
Walmart
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 70
Fat: 1.5g (Saturated fat: .5g)
Sodium: 470 mg
Carbs: 12g (Fiber: 2g , Sugar: 10g)
Protein: 2g
Prego Italian Sauce Flavored with Meat is a popular choice among pasta lovers, but there’s a reason why it leans on the sweeter side taste wise. It has 10 grams of sugar–four grams are added. While the sauce is tasty, it’s not the best choice for someone who wants to reduce their sugar intake.
Francesco Rinaldi Sweet & Tasty
Fransesco Rinaldi
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 60
Fat: 1g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 440mg
Carbs: 13g (Fiber: 2g , Sugar: 10g)
Protein: 2g
The Francesco Rinaldi Sweet & Tasty sauce is low in calories and fat, but it’s high in sugar. One serving is 10 grams with 4 added, but it should be skipped if you’re watching how much sugar you’re consuming.
Bertolli Tomato & Basil
Bertolli
Nutrition: per serving ½ cup
Calories: 80
Fat: 2g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 350mg
Carbs: 13g (Fiber: 1g , Sugar: 11g)
Protein: 2g
Bertolli Tomato & Basil tops our list with the pasta sauce that contains the most sugar. It has 11 grams per serving and while we don’t know how much sugar is added since the nutritional information doesn’t reveal that detail, sugar is one of the ingredients, so it’s safe to assume there is added sugar. If you’re trying to cut back your sweets, there are many other pasta sauces that have less sugar without compromising on taste.
