It's no secret that mayonnaise deliciously enhances the flavour of many foods. It makes salads more delicious and sandwiches more filling. Try to imagine famous Coleslaw without mayonnaise … it won’t be Coleslaw anymore. 

Mayonnaise is a healthy rich sauce used for a variety of purposes. It is generally used as a spread to create a base. This base is applied to pizza, sandwich and so on. It is in other way used for dressing salad, pasta and as a dip for French fries and seafood. Mayonnaise, as a base, can be utilized with many condiments, such as tomato sauce, mustard sauce or even tartar sauce. The most surprisingly is that you can make even chocolate cake (Can’t believe? check out the recipe here).

However, we should take into account, that regular mayonnaise contains also significant amount of saturated fat, which if consumed in more than 10 grams of day may put our health under increased risk of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. 

About Mayonnaise

Everyone loves thick creamy texture of mayo, but surprisingly not everyone knows what mayo exactly is. Briefly, mayonnaise is a combination of oil, egg yolk, an acidic liquid (like lemon juice or vinegar), and often a touch of mustard. When blended together, these ingredients become a thick, creamy, stable emulsion. As you might see, Mayonnaise is largely fat, with homemade versions containing up to 85% fat, and commercially produced mayonnaise has almost 70% to 80% fat.

Nutritional value of 1 tablespoon of Regular Mayo

·       Calories: 90 calories 

·       Fat: 10g, including 2g of saturated fat.

·       Cholesterol: 5mg

·       Sodium: 90mg

If one is worried about too many calories or just don’t want regular mayo around, there are many alternatives available in the market. 

So these may be lighter on calories, but heavier on additives.

Nutritional value of tablespoon of Reduced Fat Mayo

·       Calories: 25 calories

·       Fat: 2g, including 0g of saturated fat.

·       Cholesterol: 4.25mg

·       Sodium: 95mg

Nutritional value of tablespoon of Light Mayo

·       Calories: 45 calories in 1 tablespoon

·       Fat: 4.5g, including 0.5g of saturated fat.

·       Cholesterol: 5mg

·       Sodium: 95mg

Those values might differ depending on the certain product/brand.

While reduced-fat mayonnaise has fewer calories and less fat than regular mayonnaise, the fat is often replaced with starches or sugar to improve texture and flavour. However, light mayo might be a potential source of unwanted carbs or sugar in your diet. Therefore, before you make your mayo choice, definitely, check the nutrition label on the jar.

Despite the fact, that now people may think now that mayonnaise is a ‘bad’ food especially, for those who are dieting or struggle with heart health, actually mayo is not as bad as we think. 

Actually, mayo might be a good source of omega 3 fatty acids vitamins E and K. However, an excessive calorie in mayonnaise may lead to weight gain. Therefore, use it in a limited amount while enjoying its taste and benefits.

So, is Mayonaisse really that bad? What is the truth surrounding Mayonnaise? 

The truth is, “it simply depends on the need of an individual and the Mayonnaise type he chooses.”

Eating mayonnaise everyday with almost every meal could be unhealthy, as store-bought mayonnaise often has lots of saturated fat. Fortunately, you can make your own healthier mayo. This means that there's really no reason mayo should be unhealthy. In order to improve mayo's nutrition, you can do a few easy things.

·       Go Egg-free.

    In order to make mayo, you would need raw eggs, which can be dangerous as they are likely to carry a risk of salmonella poisoning. In order to prevent that, I would recommend use pasteurized eggs.Pasteurized eggs are less likely to cause foodborne diseases compared to unpasteurized eggs. 

Also, to reduce cholesterol content, instead of using 2 or even 3 egg yolks, you can use one egg yolk with half a teaspoon of mustard. That would be enough to "absorb" a cup of oil in an emulsion.

·       Reduce vinegar.

    When making mayonnaise, use fresh lemon juice and cut back on the vinegar. In fact, you can make mayo using just lemon juice and no vinegar. Using fresh lemon juice can enhance your mayo's nutrition with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

·       Improve fat content

   Always try to use a healthy oil, which will be rich in both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as flaxseed oil, olive oil, sesame oil, avocado oil and walnut oil. Try to avoid oils, which contains high amounts of omega-6 fats such as soy oil, corn oil, or regular safflower or sunflower oils. Thanks to that you will reduce the amount of saturated fat in your home-made mayonnaise.  

How to make healthy regular mayo?

Basic recipe:

·       1 egg yolk (see note below for egg safety)

·       1 cup oil (of your choose)

·       1 teaspoon mustard (the best try Dijon)

·       1 tablespoon of lemon juice

·       1 teaspoon water

·       1/4 teaspoon salt

·       2 drops of sweetener (optional)

·       Added extras: Add garlic, herbs, spices, capers, or whatever flavourings you like!

A Vegan mayonnaise  

Without the doubt mayo is common ingredient of many famous both meat and plant-based dishes. Imagine, how hard would be to make potato salad without mayonnaise… hopefully we do not need to worry about that, because there are many vegan alternatives for traditional mayo.

There are many commercial variations of vegan mayonnaise. 

Those substitutes do not contain eggs, are cholesterol-free and have less saturated fat, than traditional mayo. So what you should look for in ingredient list? 

As emulsifier, vegan mayo, instead of eggs, they mostly contain maize starch, however if you are interested in more nutrient dense options, try to find brands which get density from adding chickpea mash or soya milk. 

When it comes to oil they are usually made with soybean, sunflower, corn, safflower or even peanut oil, while more healthy options can be made with avocado or extra virgin olive oil. 

Also, you might find some products with added vinegar or apple cider vinegar for extra taste.

As you can see there is wide range of options within vegan mayonnaise. Nevertheless, if you not sure which options you like the most, you can always try to make own mayonnaise at home. The process is very similar when making traditional mayo. To begin with, start with avocado alternative.

Alternative: Egg-free avocado mayo recipe packed with heathy oils (25kcal per 1 tablespoon)

Basic recipe:

·       2 ripe fresh avocados

·       ¼ cup olive oil (or any oil of your choose)

·       1 tsp lemon juice lime juice, or apple cider vinegar

·       ½ tsp garlic powder

·       1 tsp salt

·       1 tbsp of Dijon mustard

·       ½ tsp ground black pepper

Mayo substitutes

If you are overwhelming by the range of choice and number of factors to consider before you will pick up your mayo in the supermarket, maybe would be worth to consider mayonnaise substitutions. They will still give you the same give effect on your meals, what traditional mayo, while reducing unnecessary confusion. 

So, are you ready to identify potential mayo-swaps to try out?

Avocado rich in healthy fats, it is good swap for mayonnaise especially in chicken salad and sandwiches.

Olive oil, again healthy fat choice, and when used in moderation can be good mayo swap in favourite pasta or tuna dish.

Pesto, as traditional Italian sauce made from basil, pine nuts and olive oil, might be a good mayo swap if you are reaching for extra healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. 

Greek yogurt is a good idea if you want to cut down calories and still add the creaminess into your tuna or chicken salad.

Mustard is a lighter and fibrer rich alternative for mayo, especially in ham or turkey sandwich.

Hummus is an ideal protein and fibre rich mayo swap for any sandwich or wrap.

For more information check out:

Nutrition of Mayonnaise vs. Butter. Livestrong. Link to the article is here.

How unhealthy is mayonnaise? Livestrong. Link to the article is here.

How to make healthy homemade mayonnaise? Verywellfit. Link to the article is here.

What does Mayonnaise Do to your body? Inlife. Link to the article is here.

Uses for mayonnaise. Taste of Home. Link to the article is here.

Healthy substitutes for mayo. Business Insider. Link to the article is here.

Vegan Avocado mayo recipe: Avocado Mayo Recipe. Wellnessmama. Find recipe here.

Mayonnaise moist chocolate cake recipe: Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake. Taste of Home. Find recipe here.