Is Jarred Pasta Sauce Healthy?

slug: is-jarred-pasta-sauce-healthy

title: "Is Jarred Pasta Sauce Healthy?"

teaser: "Most store-bought marinara is closer to ketchup than Italian sauce, packed with hidden sugar and cheap inflammatory oils."

category: condiments-sauces

subcategory: ketchup-mustard

verdict: caution

status: published

is_new: true

updated: 2026-02-25

tldr: >

Most jarred pasta sauces are sugar bombs disguised as dinner. Leading brands like Prego and Ragu are loaded with soybean oil and more sugar than a donut per serving.

However, clean options exist. Rao's is the gold standard for using real olive oil and no sugar. For budget shoppers, Newman's Own and Whole Foods 365 offer surprisingly clean ingredient lists without the premium price tag.

key_findings:

• "Traditional" sauces from brands like Prego contain up to 9g of sugar per half-cup serving.
• Soybean and canola oil are frequently used instead of olive oil to cut costs.
• Many brands use calcium chloride to firm up low-quality, mushy tomatoes.
• Premium brands like Rao's use whole peeled tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil, justifying the higher price.

sources:

• title: "Sugar Content in Popular Pasta Sauces"

url: "https://www.eatthis.com/pasta-sauces-added-sugar/"

type: article

• title: "Calcium Chloride Safety and Use"

url: "https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/food-additive-status-list"

type: fda

• title: "Inflammatory Potential of Seed Oils"

url: "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6196963/"

type: study

recommendations:

• name: "Rao's Homemade Marinara"

brand: "Rao's"

verdict: recommended

note: "The gold standard. Whole tomatoes, olive oil, no sugar."

• name: "Newman's Own Marinara"

brand: "Newman's Own"

verdict: recommended

note: "Best budget pick. No added sugar and uses extra virgin olive oil."

• name: "Prego Traditional"

brand: "Prego"

verdict: avoid

note: "Loaded with sugar and canola oil."

• name: "Ragu Old World Style"

brand: "Ragu"

verdict: avoid

note: "Uses soybean oil and added sugar."

related:

• sugar-in-pasta-sauce
• cleanest-pasta-sauce
• is-raos-worth-it
• is-pizza-sauce-healthy

suggested_articles:

• title: "Rao's vs. Carbone: Is the $10 Sauce Worth It?"

reason: "Readers willing to pay for Rao's are likely curious about the ultra-premium competitor Carbone."

• title: "Is Citric Acid in Canned Tomatoes Dangerous?"

reason: "A deep dive into the 'black mold' production method of citric acid would address a common crunchy concern."

• title: "The Best Jarred Alfredo Sauce Without Soybean Oil"

reason: "White sauces are notoriously worse than red sauces; finding a clean one is a major pain point."

The Short Answer

Most jarred pasta sauce is unhealthy junk food masquerading as a wholesome staple. Popular brands like Prego and Ragu rely on cheap fillers like water, tomato paste, and soybean oil instead of real olive oil. Worse, they are packed with added sugar—often containing more sugar per serving than a glazed donut.

However, you don't have to make it from scratch to eat clean. Rao's Homemade is the benchmark for healthy jarred sauce, using only whole tomatoes, olive oil, and no added sugar. If the $9 price tag hurts, Newman's Own and Whole Foods 365 Organic are excellent budget-friendly alternatives that skip the sugar and seed oils.

Why This Matters

Pasta sauce should be simple: tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and herbs. But big food corporations have turned it into a vehicle for hidden sugar and inflammatory oils.

Sugar overload is the biggest issue. Brands add sugar to mask the metallic taste of cheap, acidic tomatoes. A single serving of Prego Traditional has 9 grams of sugar. Since most people eat far more than the recommended half-cup serving, you could easily consume 18-20 grams of sugar with your dinner—that's nearly your entire daily limit. Sugar In Pasta Sauce

The oil swap is the second trap. Authentic marinara uses olive oil, which is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Cheap sauces swap this for soybean or canola oil, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids that can contribute to inflammation when consumed in excess. Oils In Salad Dressing

What's Actually In Jarred Sauce

Here is what you are actually eating when you buy the "Traditional" version of a standard grocery store brand.

• Tomato Puree (Water + Paste) — Instead of using fresh or whole peeled tomatoes, cheap brands dilute tomato paste with water. It's cost-effective for them but flavorless for you.
• Sugar / High Fructose Corn Syrup — Added to balance the acidity of low-quality tomatoes. Prego and Hunt's are notorious offenders here.
• Vegetable Oil — Usually soybean or canola oil. These are cheap, industrial seed oils used to create "mouthfeel" without the cost of real olive oil.
• Calcium Chloride — A firming agent used to keep cheap, machine-processed diced tomatoes from turning into complete mush. It’s safe to eat, but it’s a sign you’re eating low-quality produce.
• Natural Flavors — The black box of processed food. If a sauce uses high-quality basil and garlic, they list "basil" and "garlic." "Natural flavor" is a shortcut.

What to Look For

Green Flags:

• "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" listed as the only oil.
• "No Added Sugar" on the front label.
• Whole Peeled Tomatoes as the first ingredient (indicates higher quality than puree).
• Glass Jars (avoids BPA/BPS lining concerns often found in cans).

Red Flags:

• Sugar appearing in the top 5 ingredients.
• Soybean, Canola, or Cottonseed Oil.
• Water listed as the first ingredient.
• "Meat Flavored" (usually implies artificial additives rather than real meat).

The Best Options

You don't need to spend $10 to get a clean sauce, but you do need to read the label.

The Bottom Line

1. Read the sugar line. If it has more than 4g of sugar, put it back. You are buying dinner, not dessert.

2. Check the oil. If it says "Vegetable Oil" or "Soybean Oil," it’s an inflammatory product. Look for Olive Oil.

3. Buy Rao's on sale. Costco carries 2-packs of Rao's for a steep discount. It is the single biggest upgrade you can make to your pasta night. Is Raos Worth It

FAQ

Why is Rao's so expensive?

Rao's uses Italian whole peeled tomatoes and pure olive oil, which are significantly more expensive than the tomato paste, water, and soybean oil used by competitors. You are paying for real food rather than water and fillers.

Is the sugar in pasta sauce natural?

Tomatoes naturally contain some sugar (usually 3-4g per serving). Any amount above that listed under "Added Sugars" is unnecessary sweetener dumped in by the manufacturer. If a label says "0g Added Sugar," the sugar listed is naturally from the tomatoes.

Is calcium chloride bad for you?

Calcium chloride is generally recognized as safe (GRAS). It is a salt used to keep canned tomatoes firm. While not toxic, its presence usually indicates lower-quality tomatoes that would otherwise disintegrate during processing. Clean brands like Rao's typically don't need it.