Sauces, what a passion! But are they bad for your health?

Are sauces bad for you? Answers Dr. Pietro Senette, nutritionist.

«There are various types of sauces with different characteristics. It is therefore good to pay attention to the ingredients that can be more or less healthy. The most popular, including mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, ketchup just to name a few, risk being a concentrate of excesses: too much fat, too much salt or too much sugar. It is also essential to underline that this type of condiment, if subjected to high temperatures, produces substances that are irritating and toxic to the body: the best known are the so-called "free radicals". For fans of sauces, however, it is possible to find a compromise between the taste of a good sauce and a healthy diet. Try your hand at preparing a good and healthy homemade sauce is anything but complicated. Among the simplest and most traditional, the aubergine-based sauce is certainly one, enhanced by garlic, parsley and cumin, perfect for spreading on a slice of good bread. The list is enriched by the refreshing lime and avocado sauce, to be preferred in spring and summer and the tasty sauces prepared with fresh vegetables or aromatic herbs, skilfully mixed with excellent and possibly zero km extra virgin olive oil, which they fit well in any season. For diehard lovers of classic commercial sauces, there is only one keyword: occasional».