Nutritional Information For Salsa

Salsa, which is the Spanish word for "sauce," originated in Mexico and Central America. According to the Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, since 1991 more salsa has been sold in the United States than ketchup (see Reference 2). This spicy sauce is a good source of minerals, some vitamins, and the important antioxidant lycopene.

Definition

Classic red salsa contains tomatoes, chili peppers, onion and seasonings such as garlic and cilantro; however, there are different types of salsa. Adobo sauce is a salsa with vinegar added. Corn salsa replaces the tomatoes with corn. Salsa verde is a green sauce made out of tomatillos, a small, green tomato-like fruit popular in Mexico. Most salsas can be served cooked or raw, but cooking helps extend shelf life. Raw salsa needs to be refrigerated to prevent bacteria from growing.

Basic Nutrition

A 1/2-cup serving of classic salsa has 35 calories, yet it provides 4 percent of the daily value (DV) of protein, and 8 percent DV of dietary fiber. The total carbohydrates are 8.14g, which represents 3 percent of the daily value.

Vitamins

Salsa is a good source of the fat-soluble vitamins A, E and K. It supplies 7 percent DV of vitamin K and 8 percent DV of vitamins A and E. A 1/2-cup of salsa will also deliver 11 percent of vitamin B6, 4 percent of your daily value of vitamin C, and 1 to 2 percent DV of thiamin, riboflavin and folate.

Minerals

A 1/2 cup of salsa supplies all of the essential minerals including potassium (11 percent DV), copper (9 percent DV), manganese (8 percent DV), and magnesium (5 percent DV). It also provides 4 percent of the daily value of calcium and phosphorus, 3 percent of iron and zinc, and 2 percent DV of selenium. If you're watching your salt intake, it's important to know that salsa also has 32 percent DV of sodium.

Lycopene

Lycopene is a carotenoid that contributes red pigment to fruits and is a powerful antioxidant. The richest food source of lycopene is tomatoes, and 1/2 cup of salsa supplies a generous amount as it contains 13,670mcg of lycopene.