Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce: calories, sugar, salt and nutrition

How much sugar is in Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce? A tablespoon (15g) contains 2.4g of free sugar, 8% of the adult daily limit and 13% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6.

Try it: nutrition calculator

Choose a brand, sauce and portion size to see how sugar, salt, calories and fat compare to daily guidelines.

Nutrition by portion size

The table below shows how the nutrition changes across realistic portion sizes.

Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce contains 90 kcal, 0g of fat (0g saturated), 20g of carbohydrate (16g sugar), 1g of protein and 1.75g of salt per 100g. A standard BBQ sauce portion — 1 tablespoon (15g) — delivers 14 kcal, 2.4g of sugar and 0.26g of salt.

Stubb's Original contains 16g of sugar per 100g, notably less than Heinz BBQ (28g) or Sweet Baby Ray's (39g), reflecting a more vinegar-forward Texan style. A two-tablespoon serving (30g) delivers 4.8g of sugar, making it one of the lower-sugar BBQ sauces. Gluten-free and vegetarian.

Portion size matters significantly for condiments. A small squeeze or single teaspoon contributes little to daily intake. But condiments are easy to apply generously: 1 tablespoon (15g) delivers 2.4g of sugar and 0.26g of salt, while 4 tablespoons (60g) delivers 9.6g of sugar and 1.05g of salt. Adding multiple condiments to a single meal multiplies this further.

Sugar

Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce contains 16g of sugar per 100g, all of it free sugar. There are no naturally occurring bound sugars in condiments — the sugar in sauces counts in full against the NHS daily free sugar limit of 30g for adults, 24g for children aged 7 to 10, and 19g for children aged 4 to 6.

1 tablespoon (15g): 2.4g of sugar (8% of the adult daily limit); 2 tablespoons (30g): 4.8g of sugar (16% of the adult daily limit); 4 tablespoons (60g): 9.6g of sugar (32% of the adult daily limit).

Salt

Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce contains 1.75g of salt per 100g. 1 tablespoon (15g): 0.26g (4% of the adult daily limit of 6g); 2 tablespoons (30g): 0.53g (9% of the adult daily limit of 6g); 4 tablespoons (60g): 1.05g (18% of the adult daily limit of 6g).

Ingredients and ultra-processed food

Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce is a commercially produced BBQ sauce. Its ingredients are: Tomato puree, water, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, molasses, modified starch, natural flavour, onion powder, garlic, paprika, citric acid, spices. Created by C.B. Stubblefield in Lubbock, Texas. Notably lower in sugar than most BBQ sauces..

Reading the ingredient list closely, it contains modified starch and natural flavourings. Modified starch thickens the sauce to a consistent texture at industrial scale without cooking or reduction. Natural flavourings enhance or standardise the flavour profile across large-scale production.

A home-made equivalent would typically require fewer ingredients. The processing aids are used to deliver a consistent flavour, texture and shelf life at scale that home preparation cannot match.

Allergens

Frequently asked questions

Track what you eat, including sauces

Nutrition information from UK manufacturer labels and retailer databases. Per-portion values calculated proportionally. NHS/SACN guidelines used for daily limits. For guidance only, not medical advice.