"No Sugar" Hellman's Mayo - ?

[jounipesonen]

I've heard rumors that Hellman's coming out with a mayo with NO sugar. Anyone heard anything about this?

Sugar destroys the real taste of mayo (maybe that's why Hellman's considering this - ('real' :-) ) ) - and sugar sure wins no points in the healthy food derby.

There is one mayo without sugar on the market - Duke's - they have primarily been in the South - maybe they are making inroads into the 'Real Mayo' market?

(Guess most know: Hellman's = Best Foods)

[bitchincook]

I don't know why so many people consider Hellmans' to be the "best" mayonnaise, as it has sugar in it, unlike classic mayonnaise. I buy Trader Joe's, which has no sugar, is made from canola oil instead of soybean oil, and is less than half the price. Whole Foods 365 brand also lacks sugar and has that nice tangy flavor that is lost when sugar is added.

[jounipesonen]

you're right on the money

[acgold7]

I think a lot of it has to do with what you grew up with and are comfortable with. Most people are loyal to Heinz ketchup (they have by far the biggest market share) but independent taste tests frequently prefer other brands.

As far as the TJs mayo, based on all the recommendations I tried it but wasn't impressed. And on a unit basis it's more expensive than the Best Foods/Hellmann's I get at Costco. It's been said that the West Coast version (Best Foods) is tangier than the East Coast version (Hellmann's) but it still lists sugar in the ingredients.

[The Professor]

"Classic" doesn't really mean anything because who decides what is or isn't "classic"?. And nothing is sacred anyway.

I've tasted lots of different commercial mayos and even though growing up my family used Kraft, Hellman's is the only one I really like, and the only one that I use other than home made...which, by the way, is a 70 year old recipe that has a tiny pinch of sugar in it. A little bit of sugar is, after all, a "classic" ingredient in _many_ foods to help marry flavors. A trace amount is not a big deal, is not going to ruin the 'tanginess' and certainly is not breaking any rules (except arbitrary ones).
And if we're really talking "classic", then canola _or_ soy oil don't belong in there either.
But in the end, Rule #1 is that there are no hard, fast rules.

[escondido123]

I buy Best Foods mayo here in California but recently realized it was tasting sweet to me--and then saw it contained sugar. I switched to their new olive oil mayo which has no sugar and tastes very good.

[jounipesonen]

Amen

[Liz K]

That olive oil Mayo lists sugar on the ingredient list, and tastes like miracle whip to me.

[jounipesonen]

YUK!

[wyogal]

Yep, I saw that, too.

[escondido123]

See above. The funny thing is I switched to it because the original was tasting Miracle Whip to me (funny I loved it as a kid) and the OO doesn't. Guess we never know what foods taste like except to ourselves. Sorry for the mixup.

[Clams047]

Cains has been #1 in our household for some 15+ years. Before that, Dukes was our favorite. Never have cared much for Hellman's.

Oddly, sugar does appear in the the ingredients listing (between water and salt), but the nutrition facts state 0 gm sugar as well as 0 total carbs. Apparently Cains contains small / perhaps trace amount of sugar that would otherwise be difficult to detect.

[jounipesonen]

Just an aside:

"To me, that's a lot, especially considering that it's not at all necessary for a tasty final product."

Why can't food manufacturers leave it to 'us' to decide how much sugar and salt we want (beyond that necessary - salt - for preservation purposes?) Sugar and salt are usually available to everyone at arm's length.

[al b. darned]

>>>
Why can't food manufacturers leave it to 'us' to decide how much sugar and salt we want (beyond that necessary - salt - for preservation purposes?) Sugar and salt are usually available to everyone at arm's length.
<<<

I couldn't agree more!! Yes, sugar is also a preservative, but I don't think that's why it is in mayo.

[jounipesonen]

Yes - should have btw'd sugar too - eg jams, cakes etc - but far more than needed for the preservative function - as with salt

[Exy00]

Mayonnaise is a condiment that's frequently used on its own as a dressing for sandwiches. It should be adequately seasoned. I don't really like it, but if I did, I'd certainly be annoyed if I had to pull out a ramekin and stir salt into it. As for sugar, obviously that's also there as a flavoring.

[todao]

The Hellmann's nutritional label information lists only fats, sodium, carbohydrates, and protein. The sugars are, I assume, included as a carbohydrate for nutritional purposes but the amount is apparently below government standards for reporting of percentages because the carb percentages is listed as "0". The ingredients list includes SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, WHOLE EGGS AND EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, SALT, SUGAR, LEMON JUICE, NATURAL FLAVORS, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY). Sugar is so far down the list (even less than the amount of salt in the formula) that the proportional amount in the recipe would not be of concern in my kitchen, even though I cook for people with special dietary needs, including diabetics.
If the healthy food derby is concerned about the sugar in Hellmann's Mayo, they may be focusing on the lesser evil of all mayo. Perhaps their efforts would be better spent on looking at the ratio of fat.

[jounipesonen]

Yes - sugar is down in the list - and that's why I use it - as it is not the sweet gunk like Miracle Whip and the Euro Kalve etc,

But the sugar can still be tasted in H's and that's why I would like to find the rumor is true. Mayo just should not be at all sweet - as one will find from all recipes for traditional mayo. I had mentioned Duke's - but also recall Trader Joe's which I have been fortunate to get on occasion. The difference with H's was refreshing.

And I have not really been concerned with H's sugar so far as health matters would be involved - just the taste - I just mentioned that there would be no health disadvantages to leaving out the sugar :-)

Disclosure: My father was a Hellman's salesman for years and years.

[CanadaGirl]

I actually find homemade mayo to have a slightly sweet taste, and there is no sugar anywhere near it! I will have to pay attention the next time I have Hellmans (which is my usual brand) to see if I find it sweeter than homemade.

[jounipesonen]

Try to get hold of TJ's and DEFINITELY not sweet - also possibly Duke's but have never myself tasted it - but they boast of NO sugar.

Must say I can't imagine how oil, lemon, egg yolk, salt would produce a sweet taste.

[CanadaGirl]

I'm in Canada, so no TJs or Dukes. I agree the ingredients in mayo shouldn't taste sweet, but somehow it does to me :) Another of life's little mysteries.

[ninrn]

In reply to Todao, I don't know if the amount of sugar is that insignificant. The ingredient list indicates there's more sugar than lemon juice by weight. Given that most mayo recipes average about 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of lemon juice per cup yield of mayo, and since sugar weighs less than lemon juice, that means it's likely that there are more than two teaspoons of sugar in every cup of Hellman's. To me, that's a lot, especially considering that it's not at all necessary for a tasty final product.

[The Professor]

Doesn't bother me at all that Hellman's has some sugar in it. It's obviously a pretty small amount anyway. LOL. If anyone is worried about the trace amount of sugar they're consuming via Hellman's, they're probably eating too much mayo! ;-)
Besides, a pinch of sugar can be used in many different foods to bring flavors together and the way I see it, in small quantities there is no harm.

If Hellman's introduces a sugar free one that's fine...as long as they keep the original available. Or should I say the the current version of the original...evidently, even that has undergone some subtle changes and reformulations in recent years .
I only hope I never see the words "new and improved" on the Hellman's label...that has ALWAYS been the kiss of death for favorite products down through the years.

[jounipesonen]

Original question from me was in reference to the TASTE - and I just said that less sugar also a health benefit - though agreed the amount in H's is rather minimum - though one poster here has calculated fair amount because it's listed as more than lemon juice

But just don't think sweetness of any kind 'belongs' in REAL mayo - Alton Brown's pinches notwithstanding.

I would never add it - but people are free to add sugar and salt to their heart's content - they're on every shelf.

One poster also says that Best Foods (H's) has put out an olive oil version w/o sugar. As for 'sugar free' as a term - it usually means the addition of some god-forsaken suspicious chemical!

[wyogal]

Looking at ingredients online, there is sugar in the olive oil versions of both Hellman's and Best Foods. Unless there is some products they don't put on their websites.

[jounipesonen]

I was just going by what Esconido said below - maybe they missed the mention of sugar. Too bad if so (IMO).

[escondido123]

It is obvious to me that I am unable to read a label correctly! There is sugar in the OO mayonnaise though it is not apparent in the taste. Sorry for leading you folks astray.