Next to the stuffing and sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce can seem like a lighter choice. It’s made from fruit, after all, and you’re having it with dinner, not dessert. But Ocean Spray’s Jellied Cranberry Sauce has 20 grams of added sugar per serving — most of the American Heart Association’s recommended daily limit of 25 grams for women.
Why Does Cranberry Sauce Have So Much Sugar?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one half-inch-thick slice of sweetened canned cranberry sauce contains roughly 18.1 grams of total sugar, whereas one cup contains about 88.1 grams. Of course, these numbers vary by brand.
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“I love cranberry sauce, but most prepared cranberry sauces or relishes are full of sugar because cranberries are naturally very acidic and tart,” Stephanie Schiff, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Northwell Huntington Hospital, told the New York Post.
How Much Sugar Is in Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce?
The label for Ocean Spray’s Jellied Cranberry Sauce lists 120 calories and 22 grams of total sugar per serving, including 20 grams of added sugar. Compared with the AHA’s recommended daily limit of 25 grams for women, that serving gets you most of the way there — and that’s before dessert.
Organic versions can be just as sweet. The Whole Foods Organic Jellied Cranberry Sauce has 110 calories and 24 grams of total sugar per quarter cup, including 21 grams of added sugar. Sprouts’ Organic Jellied Cranberry Sauce also has 110 calories per quarter cup, with 25 grams of total sugar, though its online nutrition panel doesn’t specify how much is added.
How to Make Cranberry Sauce With Less Sugar
Making your own cranberry sauce lets you decide how sweet it needs to be. Schiff starts with the recipe already on the package.
“I make my own and use half the sugar the recipe on the back of the cranberry bag calls for,” she said. She also adds grated orange zest and chopped, toasted walnuts.
Registered dietitian Whitney Stuart, M.S., RDN, CDCES, suggests a similar approach. “Making your own with fresh berries, orange zest, and less sugar is a healthier option that supports blood vessel function,” she told EatingWell.
Follow the bag’s cooking instructions with Schiff’s half-sugar adjustment, and add orange zest for flavor. If you’re still planning the rest of dinner, these Thanksgiving side dish recipes might give you some inspo.
If your guests prefer the canned version, a smaller helping is another option. “Sometimes it’s better just to have smaller portions of the food you’ve been looking forward to even when it’s not the healthiest,” Schiff added.
Does Cranberry Sauce Have Any Health Benefits?
“Cranberry sauce is rich in polyphenols, specifically anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits and may offer urinary tract support and potential gut and cardiovascular benefits,” registered dietitian Amy Brownstein, M.S., RDN, told EatingWell.
Cranberry sauce’s nutrition profile isn’t all-or-nothing. In an analysis of 26 popular Allrecipes Thanksgiving sides, Hers ranked it second-highest in sugar, but second-lowest in calories and lowest in saturated fat.
Some research supports its potential heart benefits. In a 2022 study published in Food & Function, researchers assigned 45 healthy men to have either cranberry powder or a placebo daily for a month. Those taking the cranberry powder (the equivalent of about a cup of fresh berries a day) had better blood vessel function than the placebo group. However, these results were based on cranberry powder, not cranberry sauce.
Preparation matters with other fruit- and vegetable-based sides, too. Schiff puts sweet potato casserole at around 276 calories per cup, with toppings like brown sugar, pecans, and marshmallows adding more. These Thanksgiving sweet potato recipes offer options if you’re deciding how to make yours.
With 20 grams of added sugar per serving, Ocean Spray’s jellied sauce is worth a label check. But you don’t need to overhaul Thanksgiving or take any favorites off the menu. Make yours a little less sweet, or serve a smaller portion of the one your family loves. The goal is to know what you’re having — not to give up everything you look forward to.
