Healthy Eating 101 Good Food Fast These Are the 7 Healthiest Marinara Sauces You Need to Be Buying We tested over 50 sauces to find the healthiest and tastiest options. Here’s what came out on top. By Maya Feller, M.S., RD, CDN Maya Feller, M.S., RD, CDN Facebook Instagram Twitter Website Maya Feller is a registered dietitian nutritionist and nationally recognized nutrition expert. At her Brooklyn-based practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for the management of and risk reduction for noncommunicable diseases. Whether addressing the nation, working one-on-one or with groups, Maya believes in providing nutrition education from an anti-bias, patient-centered, culturally sensitive approach. Maya is dedicated to promoting nutrition education that helps the public to make informed food choices that support health and longevity. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 15, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Jarred tomato sauce is an excellent shortcut when you need help getting a meal on the table quickly. It can feel like a healthy no-brainer, but with a little sleuthing, we found that not all sauces are created equal, especially in terms of added sugar and salt. We checked the numbers on countless labels against our nutrition parameters and tasted more than 50 sauces (that's not a typo!). Here are the seven sauces that stood out in terms of flavor and nutrition. Plus, learn what to look for when reading the label of a jarred sauce. Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh What to Look for on the Label Sugar Sugar is often added to balance tomatoes' natural acidity. But many brands use the sweetness from vegetables, like carrots and onions, to get the job done. So, if you're watching your added sugar, stick to brands with 0 grams. Salt Sodium enhances the flavor of just about everything, but some marinara sauces on the market have as much as 570 milligrams per ½-cup serving—nearly a quarter of your daily recommended limit. In a perfect world, we'd opt for one with 300 mg or less, but we found they can be tricky to find. Plus, many lower-sodium options left a lot to be desired. If you pick a sauce that's on the higher side, consider balancing your salt intake by cutting back on sodium elsewhere in the day (check out these 9 easy ways to cut sodium in your diet). 7 Best Marinara Sauces Victoria Low-Sodium Marinara Sauce Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh Buy Now Best Low-Sodium This pick packs all the classic marinara flavor with less than half the sodium of our recommended limit. 70 cal, 120mg sodium, 0g added sugar Buy it: Amazon, $50 for a pack of six Barilla Traditional Tomato Sauce Barilla Traditional Tomato Sauce Buy Now Great for Garlic Lovers Plenty of onions and garlic give this classic-tasting tomato sauce super-savory flavor. 50 cal, 450mg sodium, 0g added sugar Buy it: Walmart, $2 Ocean's Balance Mariner's Marinara Ocean’s Balance Buy Now Best with a Mission This one includes iron- and B6-rich kelp grown in the Gulf of Maine to help reduce ocean acidification and bolster the surrounding ecosystem. 110 cal, 380mg sodium, 0g added sugar Buy it: Amazon, $20 for a pack of two Bove's Marinara Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh Buy Now For Herb Lovers If old-school pizzeria tastes are your jam, this one's for you thanks to the herbs that season this aromatic sauce. 60 cal, 295mg sodium, 0g added sugar Buy it: Amazon, $11 for a pack of 2 Ragú Simply Chunky Garden Vegetable Amazon Buy Now Best with Added Veggies Carrots, sweet potato, celery, green bell peppers and zucchini combine to add fresh flavor and extra natural sweetness. 70 cal, 520mg sodium, 0g added sugar Buy it: Walmart, $2 Bertolli Traditional Marinara burpy.com Buy Now For Those Who Like a Sweeter Sauce Flavor-packed tomato paste and a touch of sugar add sweetness without going overboard on the added sugar. 70cal, 490mg sodium, 2g added sugar Buy it: Walmart, $2 Rao's Marinara Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh Buy Now Best Premium Sauce Chunks of juicy tomato dot this bright sauce that has a luxurious mouthfeel from the olive oil. 100 cal, 420mg sodium, 0g added sugar Buy it: Walmart, $6 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit