Sauce, barbecue, KRAFT, original
Whole food · Soups, Sauces, and Gravies
Photo: Wikipedia
Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce is a thick, glossy, reddish-brown sauce with a smooth, pourable consistency. Its flavor profile is a balanced blend of sweet, tangy, and mildly smoky notes, anchored by a tomato base. Nutritionally, it is a high-carbohydrate, high-sugar condiment, providing over 32g of sugar per 100g.
Calorie split: 2% protein · 95% carbs · 3% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its instantly recognizable, crowd-pleasing sweet and tangy flavor that evokes backyard cookouts and casual gatherings. Its thick texture clings perfectly to ribs, chicken, and burgers, making it a staple for easy, flavorful meals.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The high sugar content (over 32g per 100g) can cause rapid blood-sugar spikes, making it less suitable for diabetics or those monitoring sugar intake. To counteract this, use it sparingly, pair it with protein-rich foods like grilled chicken or pulled pork, and consider it a flavor accent rather than a main sauce. It may also contain high-fructose corn syrup and sodium.
Key benefits
- Provides quick energy from carbohydrates
- Adds significant flavor with minimal fat
- Versatile for grilling, dipping, and marinating
- Consistent, familiar taste profile
- Shelf-stable and convenient
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Kraft's barbecue sauce is a key ingredient in the iconic 'Kansas City-style' barbecue sauce profile, which is typically thick, sweet, and tomato-based, distinguishing it from vinegar- or mustard-based regional styles.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 54.2 g |
| Energy | 172 kcal |
| Energy | 718 kj |
| Protein | 0.74 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.62 g |
| Ash | 3.6 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 40.8 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.40 g |
| Total Sugars | 32.3 g |
| Sucrose | 1.0 g |
| Glucose | 16.6 g |
| Fructose | 14.6 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.00 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 0.60 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 47.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.79 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 15.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 19.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 247 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 1242 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.16 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.09 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.13 mg |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.20 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.02 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.05 mg |
| Niacin | 0.52 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.17 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.08 mg |
| Choline, total | 7.1 mg |
| Betaine | 0.40 mg |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 10.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 116 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 3.0 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 196 iu |
| Lycopene | 3556 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 69.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.66 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.02 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.12 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0.03 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.04 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.09 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 c | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.03 g |
| MUFA 22:1 c | 0.03 g |
| MUFA 24:1 c | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.08 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.06 g |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 0.06 g |
| PUFA 18:2 CLAs | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-6 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.00 g |
| TFA 16:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 22:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:2 t not further defined | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.00 g |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Sauce, homemade, white, medium — USDA does not publish this profile for Sauce.
| Tryptophan | 0.04 g |
| Threonine | 0.14 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.19 g |
| Leucine | 0.30 g |
| Lysine | 0.24 g |
| Methionine | 0.08 g |
| Cystine | 0.03 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.15 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.15 g |
| Valine | 0.20 g |
| Arginine | 0.11 g |
| Histidine | 0.08 g |
| Alanine | 0.10 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.23 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.64 g |
| Glycine | 0.07 g |
| Proline | 0.30 g |
| Serine | 0.17 g |
FAQ
Is Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce gluten-free?
According to Kraft's website, this product is not labeled as gluten-free and may contain ingredients derived from wheat. Always check the current label for allergen information.
Can it be used as a marinade?
Yes, it works as a marinade, but its high sugar content means it can burn quickly over high heat. It's best used for shorter marinating times or applied during the last 15-20 minutes of grilling.
How does it differ from other Kraft barbecue sauces?
The 'Original' is the classic, sweet, and tangy baseline. Other varieties like 'Honey', 'Sweet Baby Ray's' (a partnership), or 'Sticky' offer different flavor twists, often with added honey, more smoke, or a thicker, stickier consistency.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.72 kcal/g · 2% calories from protein · 0.4 g fiber · 32.3 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 5.03 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.