smokin' sauces

THE SECRET TO FLAVORFUL FOOD IS IN THE SAUCE-BBQ SAUCE THAT IS. BUT BEFORE YOU POUR IT ON, MAKE SURE IT'S HEALTHFUL

Summer, the season for grilling. As the weather gets warmer, folks dose up their ovens and fire up their grills. No matter what your family prefers to "toss on the barbie," a great barbecue sauce is a must for most every grilled dish. But beware, some saucy regulars add much more than flavor to your meal, and a couple of tablespoons can undo a whole day of healthful eating. Next time you're shopping for your favorite fixin', be sure to keep these tips in mind.

KEEP IT NATURAL. Like most other foods on the market, barbecue sauce can be loaded with chemical preserva- tives and coloring agents. Before "hitting the sauce," take a look at the ingredients list. You should be able to recognize everything inside the bot- tle-the more ingredients you'd find in your grandmother's kitchen, the better. Real tomatoes, natural spices, honey and vinegar are preferable to their processed and synthetic counterparts. It's even better if these ingredients are certified organic, because that ensures they were grown without pesticides.

SODIUM LOWDOWN. "Look for low-sodium barbecue sauce," says Elisa Zied, MS, RD, coauthor of So What Can I Eat?! How to Make Sense of the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Make Them Your Own. She points out that 2 Tbs. of low-sodium barbecue sauce has about 40mg of sodium compared to a whopping 570mg-or-more-for regular barbecue sauce. One serving of regular barbecue sauce represents about 25 percent of the 2300mg of sodium, the maximum amount recommended per day by experts. "Those who have high blood pressure or are salt sensitive need even less sodium-up to 1500mg per day, so for those people, 570mg is way too much to get from just one product." But for some, the low-sodium sauce just won't do. If you've got to have the real deal, Zied recommends sticking to a serving of no more than 2 Tbs. and curbing your sodium intake from other sources for the rest of the day.

AVOID CORN SYRUP. Most barbecue sauces have some kind of sweetener. Some use corn syrup, which most nutritionists suggest avoiding because it is highly processed and linked to obesity. Also, many consumers don't realize that a lot of corn syrup is made from genetically modified corn.

A better alternative to corn syrup is to look for products with natural sweeteners. Honey, brown sugar or maple syrup sweetens many barbecue sauces. For a thick, rich flavor, choose a sauce that uses molasses.

Barbecue sauce is a standard for late spring and summer foods; it is naturally low in fat and high in flavor. A dab or two can make any grilled dish something the whole family will want to sink their teeth into. Next time you're shopping, take an extra moment to ensure the sauce you choose is healthful as well as tasty. That way you won't have any extra worries at the cookout. Just keep an eye on the grill and don't burn the grub.

get sauced

From left to right:

Barbecue runs in Gayle's family. Use SWEET 'N' SASSY BARBECUE SAUCE in Honey Sweet in Gayle's recipe for Barbecued Chicken Pizza (on the jar).

Grill a juicy burger outdoors or marinade your favorite poultry inside. The Ginger People's GINGER HICKORY GRILLING & COOKING SAUCE is great for both.

Robbie's doesn't add salt or sugar (just fruit juice) to its BARBECUE SAUCE in Mild Hickory. Their other all-natural sauces include Garlic Sauce, Sweet & Sour and The Wild Thang.