Choosing the right foods when trying to lose weight can be confusing. What about salsa dip, is it good for weight loss or fattening?
Salsa dip is a spread and dip that is commonly thought of as a part of the Mexican kitchen but nonetheless popular all around the world. Tomatoes are the main ingredient of this mixture.
There are many different ways to make salsa dip, different recipes will have varying nutritional values. Even so, looking at a typical salsa dip recipe will show you how good this dip generally is for weight loss.
Generally many people will benefit in terms of weight loss by eating more of the right types of salsa dip.
Do make sure you check the nutrition label, for store-bought salsa dip, and recipe details, for home-made salsa dip before adding a lot to your daily diet. Many brands and recipes add ingredients that are not very weight loss friendly.
That being said, there are also better foods for weight loss. Find out the nutritional values of salsa dip, what foods are even better for weight loss, and what some of the most weight loss friendly things are to eat with salsa dip.
How do you make salsa dip?
The first thing you need to know about salsa dip is that there are many different recipes for it. That means that the exact nutritional values will vary slightly depending on your choice and ratio of ingredients. However by looking at the example of a general salsa dip recipe you get a sense of how it impacts weight loss.
Some common ingredients in salsa dip include tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, peppers, spices, garlic, and salt but many recipes also use ingredients like lime juice, cumin, vinegar, olive oil, and many more.
These ingredients make salsa usually a vegan-friendly food.
An example recipe for a salsa dip would be:
- 2 medium tomatoes (8.7 ounces/246 grams)
- 2 jalapeño peppers
- 2 tablespoons onion (0.7 ounces/20 grams)
- 2 tablespoons coriander
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 teaspoons raw lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt (1.5 grams)
This article will use the nutritional values of a slightly different, but general values you can expect, salsa recipe (1).
The details of some ingredients in salsa dip matter more than others when it comes to weight loss. Adding one tablespoon of olive oil to this portion of salsa dip would add 119 calories (2).
This comes down to about 40 calories extra per 100 grams. This is more than certain low-calorie vegetables contain per 100 grams!
Micronutrients in salsa dip
The first thing to look at is the amount of micronutrients in salsa dip.
Micronutrients are a group of nutrients your body absolutely needs to survive and thrive. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals. These are involved in basically every aspect of your health, including weight loss.
100 grams of this example of salsa dip provides you with approximately (1):
- Sodium: 25% of the DV (Daily Value)
- Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV
- Potassium: 8% of the DV
- Copper: 7% of the DV
- Vitamin A: 6% of the DV
- Vitamin E: 6% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 6% of the DV
- Manganese: 6% of the DV
And some other vitamins and minerals in less significant amounts. That is a decent amount of vitamins and minerals compared to a lot of whole foods.
Salsa dip alone will likely not be enough to hit your daily vitamin and mineral goals but it can help you a small amount with that.
Another substance you can find in salsa dip because of the jalapeño peppers in it is something called “capsaicin”. This substance can help your body burn a few extra calories but the extra calorie burning is generally rather small (1, 2, 3). This is a nice bonus but not something that turns salsa dip into a weight loss must-have.
Salsa dip also contains antioxidants, substances that can help your body deal with oxidative stress. It’s not clear if and if they do, to what extent, these substances can help you lose weight.
Fiber in salsa dip for weight loss
Another very important factor for weight loss is the amount of fiber in your food.
This kind of salsa dip contains around 1.6 grams of fiber per 100 grams.
That’s a decent amount of fiber per 100 grams compared to many whole foods.
Fiber has multiple benefits for weight loss. First of all, it feeds your microbiome, the microbes that live in your intestines. The health of your microbiome influences your body’s health and weight. Feeding it well is usually not a bad idea.
Fiber also helps you feel less hungry without adding a lot of calories to your diet. Hunger and cravings can be a big pitfall for people trying to lose weight, so avoiding this is a big plus.
With the amount of fiber in salsa dip you can reduce the time you spend craving for food a decent amount.
Does salsa dip help you lose weight?
Before knowing whether or not salsa dip deserves a spot in your weight loss diet you still need a final piece of the puzzle. The number of calories in salsa dip.
This kind of salsa dip contains around 27 calories per 100 grams. 21.8 these calories come from the carbohydrates (6.3 g per 100 grams of which 1.6 g fiber).
You can definitely fit in some salsa dip in low carb diets like the keto diet.
The number of calories in this salsa dip is even on the low side compared to many other vegetables. Fruits, legumes, meats, and everything in between are usually higher in calories than this type of salsa dip.
Salsa dip a very low-calorie food that can help you feel fuller with its fiber content. This can help you avoid higher-calorie foods. For most people that, and thus eating more salsa dip, is enough to help them lose weight.
Because of the peppers in salsa dip you will also burn a few extra calories but this amount is so low that it is negligible.
If you don’t like salsa dip you don’t have to go out of your way to force it into your daily eating habits, salsa dip is not a unique weight loss food. There are other foods that are just as good, or even better for weight loss.
If you are gaining weight while eating healthy salsa dip, the first place to look at is the rest of your diet and other lifestyle habits. Salsa dip is generally not fattening.
Do keep in mind to check the nutrition label of store-bought salsa dip. Often brands add ingredients like sugar that are not very helpful when trying to lose weight.
Does salsa dip burn belly fat?
Targetting fat loss in a specific area like your belly is generally not possible. Not by eating more of a specific food or by doing a specific exercise. To burn belly fat you have to lose weight overall.
Since salsa dip can help you lose weight in general, depending on your current habits, this food can also help you burn belly fat once your body wants to lose fat in your abdominal area.
Is it bad to eat salsa dip every day?
Nutrition is always a bit of a puzzle in terms of what the perfect diet looks like. It’s a pretty individual thing.
Consuming enough micronutrients is important for both your short and long-term health and weight loss. Salsa dip can help you a decent amount with this but you will need other food as well.
That being said, if you use healthy ingredients for salsa dip, it can even be healthy to eat salsa dip every day.
If you are close to consuming enough vitamins and minerals you can see how much salsa dip still fits within your daily calories. The amount will be different from individual to individual from day to day, it can be 0 too.
What to eat with salsa dip for weight loss
Most people don’t eat salsa dip by the tablespoon. This mixture is typically used as a dip or spread for other foods. Not all of these foods are great for weight loss.
Some great foods to eat with a salsa dip for weight loss include raw vegetables like carrots, celery, cucumber, slices of bell peppers, cauliflower, and so on.
Lastly, the combinations you generally want to avoid when trying to lose weight are salsa dip with crackers, toast, sandwiches, and other foods that are often high in refined carbohydrates like flour.
