Is Mayonnaise Good for You? (2024)

Americans seem to have a love-hate relationship with mayonnaise. It is the best-selling condiment in North America and is an ingredient in plenty of popular American foods—from sandwiches and tuna salad to deviled eggs and tartar sauce. But mayonnaise seems to have acquired a bad reputation.

A high-fat food, mayonnaise is often thought to be unhealthy. It is mostly fat and calorie-dense, making it easy for calories and fat to quickly add up when you're not paying attention to portion sizes.

In addition, some people steer clear of the popular condiment due to concerns that improperly stored mayonnaise may be a hotbed for bacteria. For instance, the safety of potato salad left outdoors during a Fourth of July barbecue or a tuna salad sandwich from a food truck may be questionable.

The truth is with careful selection, proper preparation and storage, and moderate use, mayonnaise can be a delicious and healthy addition to a low-carb diet.

What Is Mayonnaise?

Mayonnaise is a blend of savory ingredients that, when blended, become a thick, creamy, stable emulsion.

The trick is in the emulsion, the process of combining two substances that would otherwise tend to not mix, which turns the liquid oil into a solid.

The Science Behind Mayonnaise

For emulsification to happen, there is an emulsifier (in the case of mayo, it's typically the egg yolk) to bind together the hydrophilic (water-loving) componentand the lipophilic (oil-loving) component.

The emulsifier binds the lemon juice or vinegar with oil and does not allow separation, producing a stable emulsion.

In homemade mayonnaise, the emulsifiers are mainly the lecithin from the egg yolk and a similar substance in mustard. Commercial brands of mayonnaise can sometimes use other types of emulsifiers and stabilizers.

Is Mayonnaise Healthy?

Mayonnaise has health-promoting properties such as vitamin E, which improves heart health, and vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting. It can also be made with healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids which keep your brain, heart, and skin healthy. Mayonnaise is mostly oil, so it is a high-fat and calorie-dense condiment with 100 calories per tablespoon. You will need to keep your nutrition goals in mind when selecting mayonnaise.

If you are on a low-fat or low-calorie diet, you'll want to exercise portion control and measure the amount of mayo. For people on a low-carb or ketogenic diet, mayonnaise can be enjoyed more liberally. While mayo is made almost entirely of fat, it is unsaturated fat, which is a healthier fat.

Which Oil Makes Mayonnaise Healthier?

The good news is that almost any edible oil can be used to make mayonnaise, so the oil itself is the biggest factor in the healthfulness of the recipe.

The best-selling commercial mayonnaise in the U.S. is Hellman's brand in the East and Best Foods in the West. Those companies sellmayo made from soy oil in the U.S. and canola oil in Canada. Canola oil has a lower omega-6 content than soy oil.

If you make mayonnaise, use any oil you want, including olive or avocado oil.

What About Bacteria?

The concern about bacteria in mayonnaise is mainly rooted in the fact that homemade mayonnaise is usually made with raw egg yolk. Commercial mayonnaise, however, is not normally a problem because it is made with pasteurized eggs and is produced in such a way as to keep it safe.

In addition, mayonnaise contains vinegar or lemon juice, acids that may help keep some bacteria at bay. However, a 2012 study found homemade mayonnaise may still contain salmonella bacteria despite different acidic compounds used. Because of this, some people prefer to pasteurize an egg in 140°F water for 3 minutes before making mayonnaise.

Regardless of the type of mayonnaise you choose, always follow food safety guidelines. Mayonnaise-based dishes should not be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. Opened jars of commercial mayonnaise should be stored in the refrigerator after opening and discarded after two months.

Is Reduced-Fat Mayonnaise Healthier?

Many nutritionists recommend reduced-fat mayonnaise for people on a low-calorie, low-fat, or exchange diet.

While reduced-fat mayonnaise has fewer calories and fat than regular mayo, the fat is often replaced with starches or sugar to improve texture and flavor. If you are watching carbohydrates or sugar in your diet, check the nutrition label and ingredients list before choosing your mayonnaise.