Many meals benefit from the flavour and spice that Sriracha brings. Sriracha is a popular condiment that has origins in Thailand and Vietnam. Chili peppers, sugar, distilled vinegar, garlic, and salt make up the majority of its constituents.
It is frequently used sparingly as a condiment and is a low-calorie way to flavour foods like stir-fries, eggs, rice bowls, soups, and hamburgers. Although Sriracha has a moderate salt content, it also has nutrients like iron, vitamins A, C, and E.
Sriracha is available in most grocery stores. Although a few other companies now make the sauce as well, Huy Fung Foods’ original brand, also known as rooster sauce, remains the most well-known.
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What is Sriracha?
The hot condiment known as Sriracha is produced with chilli paste, garlic, vinegar, sugar, and salt. It is typically pronounced “see-rah-jah” or “see-ra-cha.”
Hot sauces like sriracha frequently have a base of vinegar and chilli peppers.
The unique blend of ingredients that gives sriracha its distinctive flavour, texture, and colour sets it different from other hot sauces.
Some individuals outside of Thailand mistakenly believe that Huy Fong’s sauce contains sriracha. This sriracha is dubbed “rooster sauce” for its well-known logo and comes in a squeeze container with a green lid that is brilliant red in colour.
After its creation 40 years ago, the brand’s global recognition rose incredibly swiftly. The fact that the Huy Fong classic is neither the only nor the original sriracha sauce available on the market may even surprise some people.
In fact, there are a tonne of other sriracha chilli sauce companies out there.
Several well-known sriracha brands are:
- Lee Kum Kee
- Kim Tu Thap
- Sriraja Panich
- Crying Tiger
- Huy Fong (“rooster sauce”)
- Sky Valley
Nutritional Profile of Sriracha
Sriracha contains 6 calories, 0.1g of protein, 1.3g of carbs, and 0g of fat per teaspoon (6.5g) serving. Carbohydrates account for 83 percent of the calories in sriracha. The USDA provided the nutrition facts listed below.
- Calories: 6
- Protein: 0.1 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Carbs: 1.3 gram
- Sodium: 138mg
- Sugars: 1 gram
- Vitamin C: 1.75 mg
- Vitamin A: 8.38 mcg
Sriracha Health Benefits
The components in sriracha, particularly the hot peppers, may benefit health in a number of ways. Here are several advantages of consuming sriracha.
1. May Assist With Weight Management
Consumption of capsaicin has been linked in studies to lower incidence of obesity. Capsaicin users had lower abdominal adiposity, according to double-blind placebo studies.
According to another studies, capsaicin aids in weight maintenance by preventing individuals from gaining weight after losing 5 to 10 percent of their body weight. Results showed that capsaicin consumption increased sustained fat oxidation during weight maintenance compared to a placebo.
2. May Have Anti-Cancer Effects
According to research, capsaicin has a number of anticancer properties, including the ability to target several signalling pathways and tumor-suppressing genes in diverse malignancies.
Research has shown that capsaicin alters the expression of multiple genes related in the survival of cancer cells, halting the growth and spread of the disease.
To find out whether capsaicin works as a cancer preventative, more research in humans is required.
3. May Reduce All-Cause Mortality
People who regularly eat spicy cuisine may have a 12 percent decreased risk of all-cause mortality, according to data from a meta-analysis. Additionally, spicy food eaters significantly lower their risk of passing away from cardiac ailments.
4. May Help with Metabolic and Vascular Health
Capsaicin has been demonstrated to increase brown fat, increasing metabolic rate and protecting the liver from fatty liver disease by acting as an antioxidant. Additional research in animals has demonstrated antihypertensive benefits that help lower blood pressure.
To substantiate these health advantages, additional human study is required.
5. May Help Regulate Blood Sugar and Pressure
Sriracha’s vinegar component may aid in controlling blood pressure and sugar levels.
This transformation is the result of vinegar’s antioxidant capabilities, which include the presence of bioactive substances such organic acids, polyphenols, melanoidins, and tetramethylpyrazine, which have antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
What is Sriracha Used for?
The fact that sriracha is produced using the traditional trio of chilli peppers, garlic, and vinegar is one of its best qualities. That original triad, consisting of sugar and salt, produces a condiment that goes well with a wide variety of other dishes.
Almost any item you can think of that would benefit from a little spice may be dipped, topped with, or marinated with Sriracha.
Sriracha is now used to flavour a variety of other foods, including chips, popcorn, chocolate, kale, pickles, peanuts, hummus, and more, in addition to being used as a sauce or condiment.
Sometimes it’s combined with other ingredients to make spicier variations of classic condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise, or sour cream.
Additional dishes that are frequently combined with Sriracha include:
- Veggies
- Eggs
- Meats
- Seafood
- Rice
- Spring Rolls
- Soups
- Burgers
- Stir-fry
- Noodles
Potential Downsides of Sriracha to Consider
For the most of us, sriracha has few dangers and is generally safe to consume, though certain individuals may need to restrict their intake.
Particularly, sriracha and spicy meals in general may have negative side effects on pregnant women and persons with gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic gastritis (stomach inflammation), intestinal ulcers, and IBS.
Spicy foods may contribute to heartburn and acid reflux in these situations.
Additionally, different sriracha brands have different sodium contents.
If you’re attempting to cut back on sodium in your diet, it can be worth comparing a few different brands even if the quantity per serving probably won’t add much to your daily intake.
Last but not least, some sriracha brands, such as Huy Fong’s rooster sauce, contain preservatives like sodium bisulfite, a substance that may cause an adverse reaction in people with sulfite sensitivities.
Conclusion
Foods all over the world are spiced up with Sriracha chilli sauce, a hot, adaptable Thai culinary treasure.
It is a very well-liked condiment because of its distinctive blend of spicy, sweet, and sour flavour.
Although it may be recommended to limit your intake if you are prone to adverse effects from spicy foods, such as heartburn and acid reflux, the hot sauce is generally safe to consume in moderation.
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