A good, flavourful sauce or a dip can take your meals on another level. However, when you are on the keto diet or a low-carb diet, you must be cautious about the carb content in sauces. That is because they can have a surprisingly high number of carbs in small amounts of the product.
One of those flavor-enhancing sauces is the famous Chick-Fil-A sauce. This sauce goes perfectly with their grilled chicken nuggets or breakfast sausage and with everything you cook- especially meat. But, as tasty as it is, it is understandable that you are wondering if you can have it if you are on the keto diet or a low-carb diet.
To get answers to that question and more- keep on reading!
What Is The Chick-Fil-A-Sauce?
Chick-Fil-A is the No. 1 chain restaurant in the United States, but they hold another top place. Ever since they distributed it all across the country in 2008, their Chick-Fil-A Sauce became a favorite among people. Now, it is the No. 1 dipping sauce in the United States. This sauce is a flavorful mixture of smoky, barbeque flavors with mustard and sweet notes.
It was developed in the Fredericksburg area by Hugh Fleming. He created it as a side dip to go with their chicken nuggets- and people fell in love with it. At the time, this sauce was only available there, but word quickly spread to the Chick-Fil-A headquarters in Georgia.
They tried to replicate the sauce and created the Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce, which is still on the menu. After Hugh Fleming retired, he gave the recipe to Chick-Fil-A for free in 2007.
Today, there are different sizes- 8 oz. and 16 oz. of the product in grocery stores such as Kroger and Walmart all across the nation.
Chick-Fil-A Sauce Nutrition Facts
The table shows nutritional information on one serving of 28 grams (1 oz.) of this product. (*)
| Calories | 140 kcal |
| Fat | 13 grams |
| Protein | 0 grams |
| Total Carbs | 7 grams |
| Fiber | 0 grams |
| Net Carbs | 7 grams |
What are the ingredients in this sauce?
The ingredients for this flavourful dipping sauce are in the following section:
Soybean oil, sugar, BBQ sauce, water, yellow mustard, distilled vinegar, egg yolk, salt, tomato paste, cider vinegar, lemon juice concentrate, mustard flour, oleoresin turmeric [color], natural smoke flavor, xanthan gum, caramel color, natural flavor, garlic, onion, calcium disodium EDTA added to protect flavor, chili powder.
Is this sauce healthy?
This dipping sauce is so addicting- and that is not a coincidence. The reason for it being so addicting is its sweetness- which comes from sugar, followed by a kick of sourness by the vinegar and lemon juice. This combination of flavors is what catches our taste buds and makes us crave it. However, is it healthy?
There are numerous studies done on sugar consumption and its effects on our health. They all concluded that sugar is harmful to our bodies. It can contribute to several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It can also contribute to cognitive decline and even raise the risk for some cancers. (*)
If you look into the ingredients, on the top of the list is soybean oil. There is research done on mice on this topic. It suggests that soybean oil is more likely to cause diabetes or obesity than other types- like coconut oil. (*)
Therefore, we can conclude that this dipping sauce, while it is tasty- is not the healthiest option out there.
Can You Have Chick-Fil-A Sauce On The Keto Diet?
If you look into the nutrition facts, you can see that this product has 140 calories for one serving of 28 grams or 1 oz. Out of those calories, 13 grams are fats, 7 grams are carbs. It does not have any protein and fiber. That means that there are 7 grams of net carbs.
While that does not seem that hard to incorporate into your meals, keep in mind that it is just one 28 gram serving. And, 7 grams of carbs are not a small chunk out of a strict keto dieters’ daily carb limit- which is about 20-25 grams.
Ingredients-wise, they add multiple non-ketogenic ingredients to the sauce. First is sugar- which is the most recognizable non-ketogenic ingredient. The fats they use in the sauce are from soybean oil. This oil is one of the least recommended fat sources for a keto diet, as it is a hydrogenated, highly processed oil. In the BBQ sauce, they use corn syrup- which is another non-ketogenic ingredient. (*)
Additionally, they use multiple coloring additives and flavor-enhancing natural additives, as well as preservatives. It is important to note that even if sometimes the label says natural- it does not mean keto-friendly.
Overall, it is safe to say that this product is not keto-friendly, and it is especially not for those on a strict keto diet. It is a highly processed product that contains additives, added flavors, and preservatives. On top of that, it contains sugar, and all the fat is from a non-ketogenic fat source- soybean oil.
If you are on a low-carb diet or not on a strict keto diet, and you want to have some tasty dipping sauce- you can. You can fit the sauce into any meal easily. Just make sure you carefully watch the amount you consume. It is so tasty- you can easily consume more than you meant to.
Where To Buy?
You can order different sized packs of the sauce on the Chick-Fil-A app, as well as on Amazon.com.
It is also available in most grocery stores across the United States. Some retailers are Target, Walmart, Winn-Dixie, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, HEB, Publix, and more.
Bottom line:
No, it is not keto-friendly. It is a highly processed product that has many non-ketogenic ingredients.
One serving of 28 grams (1 oz.) has 7 grams of net carbs.
Conclusion
The original Chick-Fil-A Sauce is a flavorful dipping sauce with an unforgettable and addicting flavor. It has a smokey flavor, with sweet and sour notes.
However, despite its addicting flavor, it is not a good fit for those who are on a strict keto diet. It contains ingredients that are not keto-friendly, such as sugar, corn syrup, and soybean oil. It also has added flavors and color additives, as well as preservatives.
Even though it is not strictly ketogenic, maybe you are on a low-carb diet or a non-strict keto lifestyle- therefore, you can have it if you want. Just make sure you watch the serving size because you can easily consume more than you meant to.
Up next: Chick Fil A keto options
