GO! Pesto™ - Is Pesto Healthier Than Mayonnaise? (2024)

FAQs

GO! Pesto™ - Is Pesto Healthier Than Mayonnaise? ›

Short answer

Pesto works on sandwiches and in salads. True, a tablespoon serving has roughly the same amount of calories as mayonnaise. But it's packed with more protein (3 to 4 grams), fiber (1.5 grams) and vitamin E. Meet the vegan alternative to mayonnaise.

Because its ingredients include olive oil, nuts, and cheese, pesto can be high in calories and fat. However, the fat is primarily unsaturated and may have heart health benefits. Pesto is also full of antioxidants that can help protect your cells from damage.

On its own, pesto is a healthy ingredient, especially if made fresh and contains good quality olive oil. It's a fairly unprocessed sauce, but it can have levels of salt that are verging on high, so a healthier option is to go for 'low-salt' varieties.

In addition to preservatives and lower quality oil, other ingredients in store-bought pesto may be less than ideal. “Many store-bought brands will likely contain added salt,” says Hunnes. She adds that there may also be more health benefits to making it yourself.

Some healthy mayo alternatives would be using a full fat, plain Greek yogurt, mashed avocado, or just a mix of olive oil and an acidic liquid like red wine vinegar or lemon juice, like in this favorite potato salad recipe. These healthy fats also provide essential nutrients for a balanced diet, so it's a win-win.

There are four particular forms of fat: saturated fat, trans fat, monounsaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat. Saturated fat increases your LDL levels of cholesterol. Whereas foods rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat like pesto can decrease LDL. It also boosts HDL (considered “good” cholesterol) levels.

Is Mayonnaise Healthy? Mayonnaise's nutritional profile is a mix of both healthy and not-so-healthy aspects. While it contains healthy fats from oil and essential nutrients from egg yolks, it can also be high in calories and saturated fats. Moderation is key when consuming mayonnaise to avoid negative health impacts.

You'll want to be mindful of the sodium content. Some jars have more than 500mg per serving and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines recommend you eat no more than 2,300mg per day. It would be hard to stay within those guidelines if you get more than 20% of your sodium from pesto.

As you would expect, pesto's wider variety of ingredients means it does slightly better in the vitamin and mineral stakes. Pesto outsmarts tomato sauce in many of these, but the pasta sauce still provides a sizeable chunk of your recommended daily targets.

Is pesto good for the liver? ›

Good news! The weeds in the garden can contribute to this delicious pesto that provides nourishing phyto-nutrients to support our liver health. This pesto goes well on crackers, in pasta dishes, or with vegetable sticks.

Traditional pesto combines garlic (which, like all alliums, is powerfully anti-inflammatory) with basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and olive oil.

Pesto will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you've stored it in the freezer, it will last for 6 months. When you're ready to use frozen pesto, thaw it overnight in the fridge or place the container of pesto in a bowl of warm water for a quicker thawing time.

In terms of nutrients, yes, pesto is much better for you than mayonnaise.

Homemade pesto is a great option when it comes to making heart-healthy food choices.

It has a pretty high sodium content unless you make it from scratch, but both versions have an added protein boost. Alfredo sauce is based on cream and cheese as its two primary ingredients. Neither sauce is going to win a health competition, but pesto is the superior option for that reason.

Given all of the above, pesto can undoubtedly be considered a healthy food, and as long as you keep track of portions, it can also be part of a diet that supports a healthy weight. Pesto is nutrient-dense, and because of its fat content, it's also calorically dense.